British actor Peter Bowles, best known for To The Manor Born has died, aged 85.

“The actor Peter Bowles has sadly passed away at the age of 85 from cancer,” his agent said in a statement.

“Starting his career at the Old Vic theatre in 1956, he starred in 45 theatrical productions ending at the age of 81 in The Exorcist at the Phoenix theatre.

“He worked consistently on stage and screen, becoming a household name on TV as the archetypal English gent in To the Manor Born, Only When I Laugh, The Bounder and Lytton’s Diary, which he devised himself.

“He leaves his wife of over 60 years, Sue, and their three children Guy, Adam and Sasha.”

Bowles was best known for his role as Richard DeVere in To The Manor Born, which aired from 1979 to 1981, starring as the self-made businessman alongside Dame Penelope Keith, rerprised in a 2007 special.

He played villains in several TV series, including The Avengers and The Saint.

Film credits included Eyewitness, The Steal, Colour Me Kubrick, and The Bank Job.

He recently starred alongside Jenna Coleman in  Victoria, playing the role of the Duke of Wellington.

Source: The Guardian