Peter Sallis has sadly died at the age of 96.
The actor, who lent his iconic voice to Aardman’s cheese-loving inventor in Wallace and Gromit, passed away “peacefully with his family by his side, at Denville Hall on Friday.”
Sallis also played the role of Norman “Cleggy” Clegg in Last of the Summer Wine, appearing in all 295 episodes of the beloved BBC sitcom, between 1973 and 2010.
Leading the tributes, Wallace and Gromit creator Nick Park said: “I’m so sad, but feel so grateful and privileged to have known and worked with Peter over so many years. He was always my first and only choice for Wallace.”
“Working with him was always a delight and I will miss his wry, unpredictable humour and silliness – that started the moment he greeted you at the door, and didn’t stop when the mic was switched off.”
Sallis is survived by his son, Crispian, who has worked as an art director for several Oscar-winning films.
