Coronation Street actor John Savident has died, his representative has said.
The 86-year-old was known for his booming voice while playing butcher Fred Elliott on the ITV soap.
A statement from his agent to the PA news agency said: “We are sad to announce the death of the actor John Savident who died on Wednesday 21 February, he was a much-loved husband and father of two and will be sorely missed by all who knew him.”
![PCC Party Savident](https://img.resized.co/breaking-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/john-savident-known-as-fred-elliott-on-coronation-street-dies-aged-86.jpg?w=640)
In 1994, Savident arrived on the cobbles and quickly became a fan favourite.
His storylines involved his disastrous love life, including three marriages and several failed proposals.
A secret son, Ashley Peacock (Steven Arnold), also arrived on the show and the two later developed a close bond as they worked as butchers together.
Savident’s character was killed off in 2006, suffering a stroke on the day he was supposed to marry Bev Unwin (Susie Blake).