Minder, The Sweeney and New Tricks star Dennis Waterman - who also starred in a much-loved North East dramas - has died at the age of 74, it has been announced.
Waterman starred as bodyguard Terry McCann in Minder and he first found fame as tough nut cop George Carter in The Sweeney opposite John Thaw. His role in 2004’s drama New Tricks marked his return to a long-running show for the first time in a decade and saw him star alongside acting North East stalwarts James Bolam and Alun Armstrong.
He also starred in the 1982 TV film The World Cup: A Captain’s Tale, which told the story of how a team of part-time players from West Auckland FC represented England in the Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy, sometimes described as the “First World Cup”.
