(Updated / clarified - see comments).
Hot on the heels of his 98th birthday, William Russell has just made it into the Guiness Book of World Records. So reports the Radio Times. He has the distinction of having the longest gap between appearances as the same character in a TV series. This had previously gone to a Coronation Street actor whose first and last appearances were 43 years apart. Russell (real name Russell Enoch) left Doctor Who in June 1965, and his latest appearance was in October 2022 - a record-breaking span of 57 years.
The empty chair at the support group was not a tribute to the absent Lis Sladen, as some fans thought, but a place for Anneke Wills, who was due to appear as Polly. Unfortunately, she dropped out at the last minute. Had she featured, her gap would have been 1967 - 2022, which would also have beaten that Corrie actor.
Isn't his record the longest gap between appearances? Ken barlows span is longer
ReplyDeleteYes - longest gap between appearances for a TV character played by the same actor. It’s a shame we didn’t see more of him in the episode but at his age I suppose they had to be careful. I imagine the insurance costs for anything more would have been prohibitive.
DeleteMay well be, if Ken is still in the soap.
ReplyDelete