Former EastEnders actor and prolific theatre star Frank Barrie has died at the age of 88, his agent has confirmed.

According to a statement from his agency Scott Marshall Partners, Frank Barrie died peacefully at home surrounded by his family.

The statement read: ‘It is with great sadness that we announce the death of our beloved client, Frank Barrie, at the age of 88.

‘He died peacefully at home, with his wife Mary and daughter Julia.’

The Yorkshire-born actor played Edward Bishop in the BBC soap from 2010 to 2011, his character was the leader of the local church choir and embarked on a romance with Dot Cotton, played by the late June Brown.

On the stage, Barrie Frank was a member of Sir Laurence Olivier’s National Theatre Company at the Old Vic, and was praised for his numerous Shakespearean and other stage roles, including The Woman In Black and Lunch With Marlene.

His one-man show Macready! played in 65 countries worldwide, representing GB at the 1982 Commonwealth Games Arts Festival in Australia.

Barrie Frank also made more than 150 screen appearances, including in shows such as Emergency Ward 10, No Hiding Place, Softly, Softly, Special Branch, On Giant’s Shoulders and Queen Of Swords.

In 1983, he played Eglamour in the BBC TV adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Two Gentlemen Of Verona.

He also found success as a director on productions of Shylock, JM Barrie and The Life And Loves Of Edith Wharton, all of which toured internationally.

Barrie’s writing credits include Wellington, The Family At Ham, The Devil You Know and The Other Woman, which was broadcast by the BBC, starring the late Dame Thora Hird.

The actor met his wife while attending Hull University, where he was president of the debating union.

Barrie Frank died on June 30.

His love interest Dot – played by June – died back in 2022.

June died aged 95 in April and was survived by her children Chloe, Louise, William, Naomi and Sophie, who she shared with Robert Arnold.

June’s second born child – also called Chloe – died two weeks after she was born.

June’s character Dot was one of the soap’s longest serving characters.

She first appeared in 1985 but later quite eight years later in 1993. She then rejoined in 1997 and stayed for more than two decades until 2020.

June’s family revealed they were with her when she died peacefully, while the BBC urged fans to raise a glass of sweet sherry in her memory. The star still loved a tipple and a cigarette well into her 90s.

For decades she was one of the most famous faces on British TV, playing the devout Christian famed on Albert Square for her chain smoking, gossiping and mothering of those in need while working in the launderette.

Incredibly she began her career on Coronation Street and it was at the age of 58 that she landed the role that would turn her into a household name.

Actor Leslie Grantham, who famously played Dirty Den in the soap, put June forward for the part after seeing her in the comedy drama Minder.