Ian Lavender dead updates — Tributes flood in for last Dad’s Army survivor Private Pike who also starred in EastEnders

Was Ian Lavender married?

Ian Lavender was married twice.

His first wife was actress Suzanne Kerchiss in a union that lasted from 1967 to 1976.

The couple had two sons Dan and Sam.

Following this relationship he then married American-born Miki Hardy after 16 years together in 1993.

When did Ian join EastEnders?

Ian Lavender went on to join EastEnders in 2001.

He took on the role of Derek Harkinson, a gay friend of Pauline Fowler.

He was a fixture on Albert Square for four years.

Ian’s big break in Dad’s Army

Ian Lavender was just 22-years-old when he secured the role of Private Pike in Dad’s Army.

He was a junior bank clerk frequently referred to by Captain Mainwaring as “stupid boy”.

He played the role for ten years on the much-loved comedy classic.

Tributes flood in

Tributes have poured in for Ian Lavender with many referring to him as his best known role Private Pike.

One fan wrote on X: “Sad to hear Ian Lavender has passed away. Best known for playing Private Pike in Dad’s Army.

“The last remaining cast member has now passed on. End of an era of comedy #RIPIanLavender.”

A second said: “So sorry to hear that Ian Lavender aka #PrivatePike of #DadsArmy, has died today.

“An absolute #legend! Thanks for so many laughs over the years!”

The popularity of Dad’s Army

In the 1970s, Dad’s Army regularly attracted more than 18 million viewers, becoming one of the most-watched television programmes of its time.

Royal Mail marked the 50th anniversary of the TV comedy classic Dad’s Army with a collection of stamps in 2018, featuring the main characters.

That same year, Lavender cleared up a long-standing mystery from the show during an interview with the Radio Times.

When asking creator David Croft if Uncle Arthur was Pike’s father, Lavender said: “He looked at me and said, ‘Of course he is!'”

‘Deeply saddened’

The news was broke by Dad’s Army’s official social media account at noon on February 5 as they paid tribute to the last of the sitcom’s cast members.

The post read: ‘We are deeply saddened to hear the passing of the wonderful, Ian Lavender.”