Stage and screen star Ronald Pickup has died aged 80

Stage and screen star Ronald Pickup has died aged 80 following a long illness, it has been confirmed.

Born in Chester, he trained at RADA and went on to have his first TV appearance in the first series of Doctor Who. After that he appeared in a plethora of screen projects, playing the starring role as composer Giuseppe Verdi in the acclaimed The Life of Verdi in 1982.

On stage, Pickup worked at the National Theatre alongside Laurence Olivier and Christopher Plummer, who passed away earlier this month, in shows such as Long Day's Journey into Night and Three Sisters.

He was nominated for an Olivier Award in 1998 for a supporting turn in David Hare's Amy's View, which premiered at the National with a cast featuring Judi Dench and Samantha Bond.

In 2009, Pickup played Lucky in Sean Mathias' production of Waiting for Godot, oppoosite Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart and Simon Callow. After touring, it later played in the West End at Theatre Royal Haymarket.

On screen, Pickup has recently appeared in Darkest Hour and The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.

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