Andy Devine is best known for his role as Shadrach Dingle - but he likened Emmerdale to being in prison.
The legendary actor, whose sad death at the age of 79 in January was announced this week, spent a decade on the ITV soap between 2000 and 2010.
Shadrach was the selfish and lazy father of Chas Dingle and also brought up Cain Dingle, who believed he was his father until Zak's affair with Faith was revealed.
In Andy's first scene, drunken Shadrach was in such a state he fell asleep at his nephew Butch's funeral in the church.
At the start of 2020, the character only appeared from time to time on an episodic basis as Andy felt he could not keep up with the busy schedule at the age of 68.
Then he decided to retire from acting and Shadrach was given a grisly ending that was approved by the actor playing him.
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After spending the best part of 10 years as an Emmerdale star, Andy was refreshingly honest about his departure from the show - even likening it to prison.
"I suppose it’s a bit like coming out of prison – it takes a couple of weeks for the bubble to burst. Even if you kill your wife, you only get 10 years’ parole," he told Manchester Evening News.
Andy confessed he feared he was going to die while still in the Emmerdale role, so decided to leave while he could.
He added: "I thought if I’m not careful I’m going to be like the others who die on the show. I haven’t been silly with my money, I’ve been thrifty, I suppose I thought I’ll put this away for old age, then I realised hang on, this is my old age!"
Shadrach was suffering from alcohol-induced liver disease and he been turned away by many members of his family.
Marlon decided to take his uncle in after accidentally running him over, but he kicked him out after a drinking binge.
In July 2010, Shadrack staggered in pain caused by his liver condition and dropped his six pack of beers in the river.
He lost balance while trying to retrieve the cans from the water and ended up drowning - with his lifeless body found by marlon and Rhona.
While Marlon blamed himself, an autopsy confirmed that Shadrach would have died from a ruptured liver within the next few hours even if he hadn't drowned.
Andy said: I had to go in the river, it was minging of rat pee, and they wanted me to go under for 10 seconds. But then they wanted to do it again, so they dried me off just to throw me back in again.
"But I did like my ending, because it was underplayed. Usually they just blow you up or something.
"I’m glad I was killed off, because otherwise I might have one of those days where I’d call my agent saying ‘get me back on it’. Now, it’s very much curtain down on that."
The actor then went on to star in his first panto role in Snow White alongside Coronation Street actress Tina O'Brien.
He previously starred as a Draconian Guard in several episodes of the Doctor Who story Frontier in Space, as well as Bernard in Channel 4's Queer As Folk.
Tragically, it was announced this week that Andy had died in January this year.
Public records confirm that Andy died on January 27 but his cause of death has still not been confirmed.
Paying tribue, one Twitter user wrote: "Gone too soon. What a legend. RIP Andy Devine."
"So sad to hear about Andy Devine," another added.
Meanwhile a third penned: "When I think of Emmerdale, I think of him."
"Sad news, RIP Andy Devine. Brilliant actor," said a fourth.
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