Wodehouse actor Ian Carmichael dies at age of 89

VETERAN British actor Ian Carmichael has died at the age of 89.

The star of cinema and television had fallen ill over Christmas and New Year, his wife Kate Carmichael said yesterday.

He died peacefully at his home in the Esk Valley on the North York Moors on Friday.

Hull-born Carmichael made his name in a series of films for the Boulting Brothers including Private's Progress (1956), Brothers In Law (1957) and I'm All Right Jack (1959).

During the 1960s and 1970s, he was successful in television, particularly as Bertie Wooster in The World Of Wooster and Lord Peter Wimsey in several series based on Dorothy L Sayers novels.

More recently, Carmichael appeared in The Royal on ITV as recently as last year.

He received an OBE in 2003.

Keith Richardson, executive producer of The Royal, said :"He was a terrific professional.

I did a TV film with him 23 years ago called A Day In Summer, and I remember thinking 'will this be Ian Carmichael's last film?' It says something that he went on for another 23 years."

Novelist Kate, 55, was his second wife. He also leaves two daughters, five grandchildren and four great grandchildren.