BBC star, 96, who rose to fame in 60s and dated Coupling’s Sarah Alexander, 54, dies as tributes pour in
A BBC star who rose to fame in the 60s and dated Sarah Alexander has died aged 96.
Gerald Harper, who made his name on British TV, sadly passed away on Wednesday, his agent confirmed.
CDM Talent Agency posted on social media: “It is with great sadness that Gerald Harper has recently passed away – he was a valued client before he went to Spain to enjoy his retirement.”
It is unclear where the actor died or his cause of death.
Gerald is best known for starring as the lead role in the adventure drama Adam Adamant Lives! and then as the main character in Hadleigh.
Following his TV career, he returned to his main passion in theatre.
His classical work includes playing on Broadway with the Old Vic company, playing Iago at the Bristol Old Vic and Benedick at the Chichester Festival Theatre.
Gerald forged an illustrious career on the stage, featuring in various West End shows, including Crucifer of Blood and A Personal Affair at the Haymarket Theatre.
The charismatic performer presented The Sunday Affair for Capital Radio in the 1970s.
Gerald also hosted a series of Saturday afternoon shows for BBC Radio 2 in the early 1990s, in which he played classic songs from the past and gave away bottles of champagne and chocolates.
The star will also be well remembered for his relationship with Coupling and Green Wing star Sarah Alexander.
Sarah, 54, was only 25 when she was first spotted dating Gerald Harper, then 68, in 1996.
Gerald was in his early 70s when Sarah, then aged around 30, became lovers.
Sarah was at the height of her own fame at the time, as she was a regular in sitcom Coupling.
A passer-by told the Sunday People of Gerald and Sarah at the time: “They were super-glued together! They were all over each other and didn’t care who saw them.
“Funnily enough, the young lady was making a lot of the running and kept grabbing him to French kiss him – it was quite a display.”
Friends said Harper was “absolutely bereft” when Sarah left him for Amandaland star Peter Serafinowicz in 2002.
Before his relationship with Sarah, Gerald was married to Carla Rabaiotti, a former Pan American air stewardess.
The pair, who later divorced in 1983, share a son.
Harper was previously married to actress Jane Downs from 1957 until they divorced in 1975. They share a daughter.
At the height of his fame Harper was TV’s most eligible bachelor in ITV‘s Hadleigh, which ran from 1969 to 1976.
