Blake's 7 actor Gareth Thomas dies aged 71
Gareth Thomas, best known as star of 70s sci-fi shows Blake's 7 and Star Maidens has died at the age of 71.
The Welsh actor suffered heart failure on Wednesday. He is survived by his wife Linda.
"It is with deep sadness that we have to announce that Gareth Thomas passed away this morning, 13th April 2016, from heart failure," said an announcement on Blake's 7 official fan site.
"Our thoughts are with his wife Linda, and his family and friends."
A tribute on the site called Thomas "a fine actor, a real gentleman and always generous to his many fans. He will be sorely missed by family, friends and fans alike."
His death was confirmed by friend Andrew Mark Sewell, who worked as a producer on the reboot of Blake's 7.
A look back at Gareth Thomas' career:
In 1972 Rada-trained Thomas was nominated for a TV Bafta for his performance in the BBC Play for Today, Stocker's Copper
In 1984 he was nominated again for his role as a Welsh hill farmer in the BBC's One's Morgan's Boy
In 1976 he starred as Shem in ITV's sci-fi TV show Star Maidens
In 1976 he won legions of fans in ITV's eerie drama Children of the Stones, as Adam Brake, an astrophysicist who brings his son to the strange village of Milbury to study standing stones
He was best known for his 1978 - 1981 star role as Roj Blake, the rebel leader fighting against the totalitarian Terran Federation in Blake's 7, which drew in up to 10 million viewers a week in the UK
He eventually insisted his character was to be killed off, but returned for the show's climactic final episode
He returned to his role as Blake in 2012 in The Big Finish's audio series Blake's 7: The Liberator Chronicles
Rada-trained Thomas took small roles in The Avengers, Z Cars, Coronation Street, London's Burning, Heartbeat, Midsomer Murders and Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood
He was also a respected stage actor, appearing in numerous Royal Shakespeare Company and English Shakespeare Company productions