Actor and comic Robbie Coltrane has died. Born in Rutherglen in 1950, he started his career appearing alongside Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry, and Emma Thompson in the sketch series Alfresco in 1983.
In 1987, he starred in the BBC miniseries Tutti Frutti alongside Thompson, for which he received his first British Academy Television Award for Best Actor nomination. Coltrane then gained national prominence starring as criminal psychologist Dr. Eddie “Fitz” Fitzgerald in the ITV television series Cracker, a role which saw him receive the British Academy Television Award for Best Actor in three consecutive years from 1994 to 1996. In later years, he had a memorable cameo role as a bus driver in Still Game.
His film career included Bond film GoldenEye, the Harry Potter series where he found international fame as the character Hagrid, Brave and Ocean’s Twelve.
In a statement, his agent Belinda Wright confirmed the actor died in hospital near Falkirk.
She described Coltrane as a “unique talent”, adding his role as Hagrid “brought joy to children and adults alike all over the world”.
“For me personally I shall remember him as an abidingly loyal client. As well as being a wonderful actor, he was forensically intelligent, brilliantly witty and after 40 years of being proud to be called his agent, I shall miss him.
“He is survived by his sister Annie Rae, his children Spencer and Alice and their mother Rhona Gemmell. They would like to thank the medical staff at Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert for their care and diplomacy.
“Please respect Robbie’s family’s feelings privacy at this distressing time.”
