Soap Actor Dead at 78: RIP to Tony Peers

British actor Tony Peers, remembered for his starring roles on soap operas including Emmerdale and Coronation Street, has died.

Peers passed away Wednesday morning at the age of 78, his company, Tony Peers Ltd, announced. His cause of death was not disclosed.

“It is with great sadness that we announce that Scarborough showbiz legend Tony Peers has taken his final bow. Our wonderful producer, manager and friend sadly fell asleep for the last time in the early hours of this morning,” the statement read. “All at Tony Peers Limited are devastated by this news and in Tony’s words ‘the show must go on.’ We will be continuing to lead all future productions and keeping Tony’s pantomime legacy alive across the country for years to come.”

Peers is perhaps best remembered for his work on the ITV soaps Emmerdale and Coronation Street. He made his first appearance on Emmerdale, which focuses on a group of families in the Yorkshire Dales, in 1987 when he portrayed a construction worker, and went on to portray a number of guest roles over the course of 16 years. His final appearance on the show was as the character Bryan Dodds across several episodes in 2003.

On Coronation Street, the ITV soap centered on the lives of residents in the fictional town of Weatherfield in Greater Manchester, Peers appeared as three different characters across five years. He made his Coronation Street debut first in the role of a delivery man in 1994, and returned for two more episodes as junk dealer Ivor Stonley the following year. He made his final appearances on the show in 1999 as Gary Malett’s father Peter.

Born in Wigan, Lancashire, England, UK in 1947, Peers entered the entertainment world after leaving a well-paid job in 1969 to instead become a Butlin’s Redcoat at the holiday camp in Minehead, Somerset. Although his career change was initially met with concern from his parents, Peers telling The Scarborough News in 2018 that his mother “cried” upon his career change, he went on to launch a successful acting career, making his on screen debut in a 1987 episode of Yesterday’s Dreams, according to his IMDb profile. When he landed his role on Coronation Street, he said his mother took the TV Times around to neighbors pointing out Peers’ name.

Throughout his career, Peers also appeared on L.A. Without a Map, Reckless, Moving Story, The Grand, and Where the Heart Is. His final credited role was in a 2004 episode of Last of the Summer Wine.

Outside of acting, Peers also worked as a stand-up comedian and notably performed at Scarborough Spa, where he was involved in more than 2,500 shows as a director, performer and producer. He formed his own production company, Tony Peers Productions, in 1999.