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James Bond and As Time Goes By star Geoffrey Palmer dies aged 93

The actor also starred in Butterflies

geoffrey palmer
Sharnaz Shahid
Deputy Online Editor
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Geoffrey Palmer, known for his role in James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies, has died at the age of 93. The actor died peacefully at home, his agent confirmed on Friday.

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The British star will be best remembered for appearing in sitcom As Time Goes By, which he starred opposite Dame Judi Dench. The romantic comedy series, about former lovers who married after meeting later in life, ran on the BBC between 1992 and 2005.

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Geoffrey was born in London in 1927 and did work with the national service with the Royal Marines and trained recruits. He qualified as an accountant before appearing on stage when he landed a job as assistant stage manager at the Grand Theatre in Croydon.

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He went on to have roles in Fawlty Towers, Doctor Who and The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin. Early television credits include The Saint and The Avengers. The acclaimed actor was made an OBE in 2004 for services to drama.

In 2018, when Dame Judi presented with Geoffrey with the Oldie of the Year Award, she said: "I'm going to quote Bernard Shaw as he said about Ellen Terry 'she never seemed old to me'. Well, nor you to me."

geoffrey palmer judi dench© Photo: Getty Images

Geoffrey starred alongside Judi Dench in James Bond and As Time Goes By

Geoffrey leaves behind his wife Sally Greene and their two children Harriet and Charles.

Director Edgar Wright led the tributes, tweeting: "The flight path gag wiping out the lines of Reggie Perrin’s brother in law is one of my favourite running gags in comedy. RIP to the brilliantly funny Geoffrey Palmer."

The official Doctor Who account released this statement, which read: "We're sad to report the death of Geoffrey Palmer, who starred in The Silurians, The Mutants and Voyage of the Damned."

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