Comedian, actor, writer and entertainer Roy Hudd has died aged 83.

Perhaps most notably, he hosted topical comedy show The News Huddlines on Radio 2 for more than 25 years.

It ran for more than 500 episodes between 1975 and 2001, giving invaluable breaks to a legion of today's best-known and most celebrated comedy writers.

He was also well known for playing Archie Shuttleworth in ITV soap Coronation Street between 2002 and 2010.

His agent said: "We are sad to announce the passing of the much-loved and amazingly talented Roy Hudd OBE. After a short illness, Roy passed away peacefully on Sunday 15 March, with his wife Debbie at his side. The family would ask you to respect their privacy at this very sad time."

Born in Croydon in 1936, he began working as messenger, window dresser and an artist before turning to entertainment. His professional debut as a comedian was on the 27th October 1957 at the Streatham Hill Theatre, as part of a show in aid of the Sir Philip Game Boys' Club, of which he was a former member.

Alongside friend Eddy Kay, he then joined the Butlin's entertainment team as a Redcoat.

The duo appeared on In Town Tonight on the radio in 1958, and then Hudd went on to make his solo debut in 1959 on Workers' Playtime.

His first TV appearance was in the BBC satire show Not So Much A Programme, More A Way Of Life. In the 1960s he hosted a number of his own series, including The Illustrated Weekly Hudd and The Roy Hudd Show.

Hudd's other credits include playing Tommy Franklin in Like They've Never Been Gone, Bob Andrews in Just William and Bud Flanagan in We're Doomed! The Dad's Army Story.

Stage credits include starring as Fagin in the 1977 West End production of Oliver!, and last year's tour of Oscar Wilde play A Woman Of No Importance.

His most recent TV appearance was as a judge on last year's Gold show Britain's Greatest Comedian.

A lover of music hall entertainment, Hudd was president of the British Music Hall Society. Speaking about the society, he once said: "We are a bunch of mad keen fans of music hall and variety. Some of us are just fans who love the wit, music and nostalgia of our two greatest periods of light entertainment while others are serious students of the two art forms."

On music hall's appeal, he said: "The songs were terrific. They told good stories. The music hall songs have always appealed to me. I was brought up by a gran who always used to sing songs."

In January it was reported that the comedian planned to donate his collection of more than 20,000 song sheets and posters to the comedy archive at the University of Kent. Hudd, who lived near Stowmarket in Suffolk, said at the time the university was "keen on the collection and has good facilities".

Hudd was awarded an OBE in 2003.

Here's a video of Hudd performing the monologue Albert And The Lion on a televised version of Friday Night Is Music Night:

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