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BBC/The Archers
Kelsey was described as “a truly lovely man and great company member”
Edward Kelsey, who played Joe Grundy on BBC Radio 4 soap The Archers for 34 years, has died at the age of 88.
The actor first appeared on air as the irascible patriarch of the Grundy clan in 1985.
Kelsey had given “one of the great performances in the history of British radio”, editor Jeremy Howe said.
He is also known for voicing the characters Colonel K and Baron Silas Greenback on the 1980s children’s animated series Danger Mouse.
Howe described him as “idiosyncratic, warm, cantankerous yet generous, dripping with the Grundy magic and wonderfully funny”.
Joe Grundy was fond of his daughter-in-law Clarrie, played by Rosalind Adams
He added: “Ted’s Joe Grundy was a brilliant creation because Ted was a brilliant actor – and a truly lovely man and great company member.
“A cherished part of our team, I am sure all of us will agree that working with Ted was a rare privilege and he will be very much missed.”
In a statement, his family said the actor “counted himself immensely lucky that he was able to enjoy a long and varied career doing the thing that he loved”.
They added: “He had an insatiably curious mind and never lost his appetite for lively conversation, good company and, of course, a great storyline.”
Born in Hampshire in 1930, Kelsey attended medical school but soon swapped medicine for the performing arts, training at the Royal Academy of Music before winning a six-month contract with BBC Radio Drama.
Kelsey played Edu in the Doctor Who adventure The Creature From The Pit
In 1985, he took over from Haydn Jones as Joe Grundy and recorded his final scenes earlier this month, which listeners will hear in the coming weeks.
Kelsey’s other appearances included voicing Mr Growbag in Wallace and Gromit’s Curse of the Were-Rabbit, and roles in The Vicar of Dibley, Doctor Who and The Avengers.