[Si-Co]

This is sad news. I had seen it mentioned in various places, from sources quite close to Charles, but nothing “official”. I’m quite surprised Granada Reports hasn’t mentioned it - Tyne Tees news has reported the deaths of past announcers such as Neville Wanless and Kathy Secker, though the latter was still actively working on local radio.

I knew of Charles from his VOs on programmes like Connections, Crown Court, and a few Granada-produced schools programmes, but it was only on moving to the North West in the early 90s that I realised he was a household name in Granadaland.

Charles is survived by his wife, actress Meg Johnson, who some of us may remember from soaps like Coronation Street, Emmerdale and Brookside.