Footballers’ Wives star John Forgeham has died after a freak accident caused internal bleeding.
The actor, known for playing ruthless chairman of the fictional Earls Park football club, Frank Laslett, was 75-years-old when he died.
He passed away earlier this week having been taken to hospital after falling out of bed and breaking his collarbone.
The Mirror reports he suffered internal bleeding and died on Friday afternoon.
His daughter, Jonesta Forgeham, confirmed the news about John, who also starred in The Italian Job, to the paper.
“Dad was a very talented actor and a charismatic and wonderful man.
Read more: Katherine Jenkins responds to Beckham’s nasty jibe
“We had a close relationship and I was the person who looked after him.
“He would want to be remembered as this wonderful actor. He lived and breathed acting.”
She also revealed how suddenly his death had happened.
“It is still very raw,” she said. “It is a shock because he died suddenly.
“He had a fall on Wednesday night and called me on Friday morning to say he wasn’t very well.
“He was rushed to hospital and he had some sort of burst inside – something ruptured. There was blood everywhere.”
His character in the TV drama also suffered a shock death when his then-wife Tanya Turner (Zoe Lucker) left him to die after he had a heart attack during sex.
On discovering the news of John’s death, his friend, screenwriter Simon Golding, tweeted a message to his followers, reading:
“So very sad to hear today the loss of my good friend, actor John Forgeham. A larger-than-life character & such a powerful actor. RIP John x”.
So very sad to hear today the loss of my good friend, actor John Forgeham. A larger-than-life character & such a powerful actor. RIP John x pic.twitter.com/jyr23qbblu
— Simon Golding (@SWGolding) March 10, 2017
Read more: Louis Smith says he’s not a good role model
His death comes after a four-year battle with mental health issues as he struggled to get work following Footballers’ Wives.
The reformed alcoholic had breathing and mobility problems and had been moved into a care home. But last year he was on the road to recovery and social workers put him in his own flat.
“He got very depressed. He stared at a wall for four years,” revealed Jonesta.
“He had psychotic tendencies and was put under section. He spent a year in a mental institution.”
She said when he came out and went home social services “left him there to rot” and he couldn’t pay his mortgage making him even more depressed.
But she added a year ago he “snapped out of it” and was starting to rebuild his life.