Ball also had roles in Hazell, Footballers’ Wives and Red Dwarf.
Nicholas Ball, the actor known for playing gangster Terry Bates in EastEnders, has died at the age of 78.
The news was announced by Ball’s agent, who said in a statement that he “passed away following a short illness”, and that his “successful acting career on stage and screen spanned an impressive six decades”.
Ball played Terry on BBC soap EastEnders between 2007 and 2009, with the character leading a gang who stormed the Queen Vic and took a number of hostages, including Peggy Mitchell and Patrick Trueman.
Terry also was part of the murder of Jase Dyer, the character played by Stephen Lord. He was found guilty of the murder and sentenced to life imprisonment, with Terry confirmed to have died in a 2019 episode.
Ball was born in 1946 in Leamington Spa, and went on to star in series such as Bergerac, Heartbeat, Red Dwarf, Jonathan Creek, Footballers’ Wives, Hustle and Doctors. He also played the title role in detective series Hazell.
We are saddened to hear that Nicholas Ball has passed away. Our thoughts are with Nicholas’s family and friends. pic.twitter.com/nw6zqT0eVz
— BBC EastEnders (@bbceastenders) June 6, 2024
Ball was married to actress, comedian and psychologist Pamela Stephenson, although the couple later divorced. He is survived by his second wife, Ayda.
Fans have been quick to pay tribute to Ball on X, with one saying in a post: “Sorry to hear of the passing of Nicholas Ball.
“More commonly seen in our house in the TV series ‘Hazell’ for me he will always be that conniving trickster (to put it mildly) in the Hammer House TV episode ‘The House That Bled to Death.'”
Another said: “Very sad to hear that the brilliant Nicholas Ball has passed away. He was Red Dwarf’s original simulant, and turned in a hugely memorable performance. RIP.”
A third added: “Nicholas Ball was absolutely brilliant as Terry Bates in EastEnders. One of the show’s more underrated villains.”
Meanwhile, actor Arthur Wilde posted: “Very sad to hear about the passing of the great Nicholas Ball today. I had the honour of working with him on what will be his final role. He was warm, friendly and so very gracious. I’m honoured to have acted alongside him.”