Star of Stage and Screen Paul Ritter Has Died
MuggleNet is saddened to report that British actor Paul Ritter, who portrayed Eldred Worple in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, has died.
Ritter is reported to have died last night after a brain tumor at the age of 55. His agents have confirmed to the Guardian that he passed away peacefully at home with his family by his side.
Olivier and Tony-nominated for his work onstage, Ritter gained popularity among TV audiences for his portrayal of Martin Goodman in the British sitcom Friday Night Dinner, the final episode of which aired in May 2020. He also starred as Anatoly Dyatlov in the critically acclaimed miniseries Chernobyl and as Guy Haines in the 2008 James Bond movie Quantum of Solace.
Fellow actors and those working in TV, film, and theater have been paying tribute to Ritter. Among them are his close friend Stephen Mangan (Green Wing, Rush), Sherlock writer Mark Gatiss, and actor Russell Tovey (Grabbers, The Good Liar).
Trying to find a way to talk about Paul Ritter and struggling. My friend since we were students together. So much talent and it shone from him even as a teenager. I was so lucky to know him and lucky too to work with him many times over the years. Wonderful man. RIP.
— Stephen Mangan (@StephenMangan) April 6, 2021
Paul Ritter. What an actor. What a presence. So shocked and saddened by this awful news. RIP.
— Mark Gatiss 💙 (@Markgatiss) April 6, 2021
Paul Ritter, one of the nicest and best actors you’ll ever meet, I had the absolute pleasure of a first play at 19 with him, he called me a “Plonker” when I left him hanging on stage once at a missed entrance cue – I’ve never forgotten it and never did it again – RIP mate x
— Russell Tovey (@russelltovey) April 6, 2021
We here at MuggleNet send our condolences to Mr. Ritters’s family and friends at this time.
