William Simons has died at the age of 79, his agent has confirmed.
The Welsh actor, whose full name was Clifford William Cumberbatch Simons, is most famous for appearing in Heartbeat.
In a statement confirming his death, his agent said: “He was a wonderful, kind, warm, witty, lovely human being and anyone who ever worked with him or knew him will be devastated.”
William played PC Alf Ventress in all 18 series of the ITV police drama between 1992 and 2010.
PC Ventress was known for his cantankerous personality and continued to appear in the show as a civilian even after retiring from the force.
William also appeared in Emmerdale in 1976 and Coronation Street between 1972 and 1987.
His acting career spanned six decades and also saw him play Patrick Malahide’s sidekick in the BBC’s The Inspector Alleyn Mysteries.
He also took roles in Last Of The Summer Wine, Bergerac and The Darling Buds Of May, among other series.