Actor Geoffrey Palmer dies aged 93

Geoffrey Palmer starred in As Time Goes By (Ian West/PA)

Actor Geoffrey Palmer has died at the age of 93, according to his agent.

He was perhaps best known for his roles in programmes such as As Time Goes By, The Fall and Butterflies.

Palmer also starred in sitcom The Fall And Rise Of Reginald Perrin, as well as the 2014 Paddington film.

“We regret to sadly announce that the actor Geoffrey Palmer died peacefully at home yesterday aged 93,” his agent said in a statement.

Geoffrey Palmer has died aged 93 (Sean Dempsey/PA)

As Time Goes By saw Palmer play Lionel Hardcastle alongside Dame Judi Dench as Jean Mary Hardcastle in the BBC One romantic sitcom between 1992 and 2005.

Speaking in 2018, Dame Judi said the actor was the “naughtiest man I have ever worked with”.

As she presented him with the Oldie Of The Year title during an awards ceremony for The Oldie magazine, she added: “I wish wish wish that this was the awards for ‘most promising newcomer’ or maybe even ‘the naughtiest man I ever had the pleasure to work with’, but it’s not.”

Dame Judi Dench branded Geoffrey Palmer the ‘naughtiest man I have ever worked with’ (Kirsty O’Connor/PA)

“I’m going to quote Bernard Shaw as he said about Ellen Terry ‘she never seemed old to me’. Well, nor you to me,” Dame Judi said.

Palmer and Dame Judi also starred together in James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies, which was released in 1997.

Palmer played Admiral Roebuck of the Royal Navy.