Tributes have been pouring in for The Royle Family star Peter Martin who has died at the age of 82. Peter, who played Jim and Barbara Royle's neighbour Joe Carroll in the Manchester sitcom for 14 years, also played Len Reynolds in the ITV soap Emmerdale from 2001 until 2007 and he appeared in five different roles in Coronation Street.
The sad news was confirmed by friends who paid tribute on Facebook. Dave Shann wrote: "My friend, drinking partner, fishing buddy past away on Wednesday morning, very sad, many of you will know him from TV, RIP Peter Martin, we had some great laughs."
Paul Willam Sykes said: "My condolences to his friends and family. R. I. P. Peter it was nice to share some laughter with you." And also amongst those sharing tributes was Melanie Moorhouse said: "What a lovely gentleman he was."
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His loveable and shy character Joe was the husband of Mary and father of Cheryl and a regular source of mocking by Jim and his son Antony. After a few drinks he came out of his shell and proved to be a talented singer.
Peter played Joe from 1998 to 2012 and also starred in the film Brassed Off, All Creatures Great and Small, Chucklevision, Coronation Street, the Kay Mellor series Playing the Field, Victoria Wood and Last of the Summer Wine.
His other acting roles included playing the fish and chip shop man in First of the Summer wine as well as 'Charlie the moonlighting gravedigger' in the Beiderbecke Tapes. In 2018 he appeared in the comedy film Walk Like a Panther alongside Stephen Graham about a group of 1980s wrestlers forced to don the lycra once more when their beloved local pub is threatened with closure.
In Corrie he played Jack Livesey, a contestant in the Superbrain competition held at the Rovers Return in 197 and, a father in hospital anxiously awaiting the birth of his 17th child, while Ray Langton was anxiously awaiting the birth of his first, Tracy Barlow, in 1977.
He also played lorry driver Clarkie a customer at Jim's Cafe in 1980, a gasboard man who investigated a leak at 9 Coronation Street in 1987 and dog handler Jim Buckley in 1990.
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