Actor known for Heartbeat

Borh: June 13, 1943;

Died: September 6, 2018

PETER Benson, who has died aged 75, was an actor principally known for his role in the long-running popular ITV drama Heartbeat. From 1992 until 2010, Benson played the loveable Bernie Scripps in the fictional Yorkshire village of Aidensfield.

Bernie may have been his most recognised role, but Benson had a long and steady career in television from the late 1960s onwards. In 1983, he portrayed the title role in Shakespeare's Henry VI in a BBC television adaption of the play, but he will also be remembered for playing Henry Tudor in the very first episode of Blackadder. He also made a memorable appearance as the guardian of a leper colony in the Doctor Who story Terminus, with Peter Davison as the Doctor.

He appeared in 18 series of Heartbeat, which was set in the 1960s and, although principally a police drama, captured the events in the charming Yorkshire dales with Benson’s character central to many of the storylines.

Bernie ran the garage and also acted as the village undertaker so was much involved in village life. When he had to smarten up for a funeral he cut a more respectable figure in a bowler hat, a smart suit with button hole, and combed moustache. Except in one episode when the horse drawing the hearse galloped wildly through the main street leaving Bernie to make abject apologies to the startled mourners

Bernie was also a calming influence on Aidensfield’s two disastrous money-making operators Claude Greengrass (Bill Maynard) and Bernie's half-brother Vernon Scripps (Geoffrey Hughes). Bernie always advised against fly-by-night scams and took some pleasure when their schemes came to nothing. As the episode ended, Bernie would be demanding an apology and drinks all round in the Aidensfield Arms.

Peter Herbert Benson was born in Wallasey, Cheshire, the son of a schoolmaster. He showed considerable talent at school and took dancing, singing and acting lessons.

It is undoubtedly Heartbeat for which he will be fondly remembered – the programme is still shown on ITV twice a day and has large audiences. Many episodes saw Benson at his comic best. Once a so-called Judy Garland arrived in the village and her car had broken down. She is introduced to Bernie who gets in a fluster as he has been a lifelong fan. When he offers to mend the car she is overjoyed and kisses his cheek. Overcome Bernie, says, “You, Judy Garland want me to mend your Cadillac. This is beyond my wildest dreams.”

Other television appearances included All Creatures and Small, Frost, Casualty, and Rumpole. He was also in John Boorman's Excalibur and Polanski's Tess.

Benson, who was unmarried, spent some years with the Birmingham Repertory and appeared (with Bill Maynard and Colin Farrell) in Alan Plater’s Trinity Tales. It was an updated version of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales following a group on a bus trip to a rugby league match. It was seen on BBC2 in 1975.

ALASDAIR STEVEN