Coronation Street legend John Savident’s last television role on rival BBC soap – after his death at 86
CORONATION Street legend John Savident's final ever TV role was on a rival BBC soap.
The star, who played Cobbles icon Fred Elliott, was confirmed to have passed away today.
The actor was 86 when he passed away on Wednesday.
Although best known for his time on the Manchester based soap, his final appearance on TV was actually a guest role in BBC medical drama Holby City.
He played the guest role of Rupert Popal on the programme back in 2012.
His character was a well-spoken older gentleman who arrived at the Holby City hospital following a road traffic accident.
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Rupert had no recollection of running down someone on the road.
This then causes an issue as the staff try and determine just what actually happened with John's character Rupert.
It marked the final acting role the star took on before his death earlier this week.
John's agent confirmed his death earlier today, saying in a statement: "We are sad to announce the death of the actor John Savident who died on Wednesday 21 February.
"He was a much-loved husband and father of two and will be sorely missed by all who knew him."
Savident first stepped on the cobbles in 1994 and quickly became a fan favourite.
His storylines involved his disastrous love life, including three marriages and several failed proposals.
A secret son, Ashley Peacock also arrived on the show and the two later developed a close bond as they worked as butchers together.
Savident's character was killed off in 2006, suffering a stroke on the day he was supposed to marry Bev Unwin.
Born in the Channel Islands, Savident was a cop before becoming an actor.
Fred Elliott’s best Corrie moments
Butcher Fred Elliott spent 12 years on Coronation Street and quickly became a fan-favourite with his booming voice and habit of saying everything twice and here are his most memorable moments...
- 1997- Fred married Maureen Holdsowrth but the marriage didn’t last with Sheree Hewson’s Maureen leaving him after just a week.
- 1999 - Fred let slip that his nephew Ashley was actually his biologically son from a one night stand with an old employee.
- 2001 - Fred bought the Rovers Return for barmaid wife Eve Sykes but it quickly emerged that she was a bigamist leaving him alone again.
- 2004 - Unlucky in love Fred fell for Penny King until she had her head turned by Mike Baldwin
- 2004 - Heartbroken Fred thought he’d found love with Thai bride Orchid. Until he learned that it was all a scam and she was actually a stallholder from Levenshume Market called Stacy Hilton.
- 2006 - Selling the Rovers to retire to the country with Bev Unwin, Fred spent the morning of his wedding telling Audrey Roberts that he loved Bev. Before leaving her house he suffered a massive stroke, leaving Bev devastated at the altar.