Eric Chappell, who created a number of classic sitcoms including Rising Damp, has died, he was 88.
Rising Damp started life as a play and ran on ITV from 1974 to 1978 and also spawned a film spin-off. Leonard Rossiter starred as iconic sleazy grasping landlord Rigsby and the series also starred Frances De La Tour, Richard Beckinsale and Don Warrington.
Chappell also wrote a number of other notable sitcoms including the hospital-set Only When I Laugh starrring James Bolam and the recently deceased Peter Bowles and the office-based The Squirrels. He also co-wrote Duty Free with Jean Warr.
Reece Dinsdale, who starred in Chappell's sitcom Home To Roost alongside John Thaw tweeted: "Just heard that Eric Chappell, the writer of #HomeToRoost, #RisingDamp & many other shows died on Thursday. Thank you for everything you did for me, Sir… your scripts were a complete joy to play. Great times! My love & deepest sympathies to his friends & family RIP Eric"
