Coronation Street and Mrs Brown’s Boys star Frank Grimes has died aged 78 following after a short illness.

The beloved actor and Tony Award nominee passed away on Friday August 1, surrounded by his family. No cause of death was announced. 

The Irish Cultural Centre in London announced his death in a heartfelt statement, declaring Grimes as ‘one of Ireland’s greatest actors.’

In a tribute, they said he was ‘so warm hearted, full of Dublin wit and charm in abundance and he had a beautiful sparkle in his eyes.

‘It’s with deep sadness and heavy hearts that the ICC has to regretfully inform you that the great Irish actor FRANK GRIMES suddenly sadly passed away in the early hours of Friday morning, August 1st, after a very short illness, surrounded by his wife and family’. 

‘Frank was undoubtedly one of Ireland’s greatest actors, he was a dearly loved friend of the ICC’s and over the past three decades, he trod the ICC’s stage on so many occasions. Anyone who saw Frank perform his riveting self-penned production “the he and the she of it…A Portrait of James Joyce”, will know what a thrilling, powerful, unforgettable performance it was!!’

Coronation Street and Mrs Brown’s Boys star Frank Grimes has dead aged 78 following a short illness (pictured as Barry Connor in Coronation Street 2008)

It’s thought that he passed away on Friday August 1, surrounded by his family (The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes in 1991)

The actor played the role of Barry Connor, father of Rover’s barmaid Michelle [Kym Marsh] in Coronation Street for 50 episodes, between 2008 and 2015 (pictured with co-star Sue Cleaver)

‘Frank performed this superb tribute to his hero James Joyce, on whom he was an expert, three times at the ICC, and each time, every night he received standing ovations! Frank was a spell-binding actor who had the most beautiful mesmerising voice and he often appeared on the radio show Bright Side Of The Road”. 

They continued: ‘Frank Grimes was born in Dublin, he trained at the Abbey Theatre and was a member of the Abbey Players. He scored an early success as Brendan Behan in Borstal Boy at the Abbey in Dublin, Paris and on Broadway, where he was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actor and was voted ‘Most Promising Actor’ by the New York critics’. 

‘Frank worked extensively in the theatre in London; at the National Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal Court and in London’s West End. His many Film and TV credits included A Bridge Too Far, Tulips of Harlem, The Outsider;’ 

‘He played Father O’Conner in Strumpet City, for which won the Jacobs Award, Kavanagh QC, Blind Justice for which he was awarded the Silver Nymph for best actor; He appeared in Mrs Brown’s Boys and played Barry in Coronation Street’.

They went on:’He wrote several plays, including The Fishing Trip and Wake n See, which had a play reading at the ICC. He premiered his hit one-man show on James Joyce, “…the he and the she of it…” here at he ICC, after which it was produced in Dublin, London and Paris’.

‘Frank was so warm hearted, full of Dublin wit and charm in abundance and he had a beautiful sparkle in his eyes. We know that Ireland has lost one of it’s truly great actors, the vintage of which is so rare and may never ever be matched again. 

Before adding: ‘We are so sad to have to say goodbye to Frank, but we are also so blessed to have known him, to have worked with him and seen him perform. We send our sincere condolences to his wife Ginnette,’ 

‘His daughter Tilly, his son Andrew, his 7 grandchildren and to all his extended family. We also send our condolences to all of Frank’s friends and loved ones – May Frank sleep easy now and Rest In Peace’

The Irish Cultural Centre announced his death in a heartfelt statement, declaring Grimes as ‘one of Ireland’s greatest actors’ Pictured left in 1999’s Plastic Man with John Thaw, right

In a tribute, they said he was ‘so warm hearted, full of Dublin wit and charm in abundance and he had a beautiful sparkle in his eyes (Pictured in 1984’s The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes)

He also played Mr O’Leary in Mrs Brown’s Boys, as well as roles in Casualty, Silent Witness The Outsider and Blind Justice (pictured with fellow Irish actor Michael Gambon, left)

Paying tribute to the actor, the theatre said: ‘The Abbey Theatre is saddened to learn of the passing of actor, Frank Grimes’

They followed the statement with a clip of Frank reciting a string poems which he filmed during the Covid lockdown. 

Following the announcement devastated fans took to the comments to pay their respect to the late star.  

Born in Cabra in 1947 the youngest of seven children, he found early fame in play Borstal Boy in Dublin, before it transferred to London and Paris. 

The show was such a success it headed to Broadway where Grimes received a Tony nomination and Most Promising Actor Award by the New York critics.

Paying tribute to the actor, the theatre said: ‘The Abbey Theatre is saddened to learn of the passing of actor, Frank Grimes’.

‘A versatile actor and former Abbey Company player, Frank performed in various productions on both the Abbey and Peaock stages from 1965 to 1972, including plays by Sean O’Casey, Lady Gregory, Oliver Goldsmith, Thomas Kilroy, J.M. Synge, Willliam Shakespeare, Bernard Shaw and Tom MacIntyre’.