Tim Pigott-Smith dead: British actor dies, aged 70

British actor Tim Pigott-Smith has died at the age of 70, his agent has said.

The stage and screen star, who appeared in blockbusters including Quantum of Solace and Alice in Wonderland, was perhaps best known for his role in the 1984 mini series The Jewel in the Crown.

He performed both in the West End and Broadway and received an OBE for services to drama last month.

A statement from agent John Grant said: “It is with deep regret that I have to announce the sad news that Tim Pigott-Smith died this morning.

“Tim was one of the great actors of his generation. Much-loved and admired by his peers, he will be remembered by many as a gentleman and a true friend.

“He will be much missed. We ask that you respect the privacy of his wife, the actress Pamela Miles, his son Tom and the family.”

With a career spanning almost 50 years, his first TV role came in the 1971 TV movie Boswell’s Life of Johnson.

He played roles in early series of Doctor Who, and appeared in recent dramas including Downton Abbey and Silent Witness.

In 1972 he married actress Pamela Miles and the pair had one child, Tom, a violinist who now has children of his own.

Both husband and wife were set to play heartbreaking couple Willy and Linda Loman in a Northampton production of Death Of A Salesman, due to open just days after he died.

Additional reporting PA