Emmerdale star Freddie Jones, best known for playing Sandy Thomas, dies aged 91 after short illness
(Picture: ITV) Emmerdale star Freddie Jones has died. His agent Lesley Duff announced the actor, wh..
Emmerdale star Freddie Jones has died.
His agent Lesley Duff announced the actor, who played Sandy Thomas on the soap from 2005 to 2018, died on Tuesday aged 91.
Duff said: It is with great sadness that I can confirm the death of Freddie Jones.
He passed away on the evening of July 9 after a short illness.
Freddie was a much loved and admired actor, known for his triumphs in classical theatre, film and television. He will be greatly missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing him and most especially his family.
Jones left the ITV soap last year with Sandy jetting off to Australia to visit Betty and her friend Maisie.
Explaining his decision to leave the soap, he admitted in 2018 that it was about finding balance in his life.
Emmerdale offered him another contract to stay on for one more year, but he turned it down as he felt there wasnt much more Sandy could do after Ashleys death.
Advertisement
Advertisement
He told Radio Times at the time: Its about the balance of my life. The company generously offered me another 12 months. But I just thought, “I have no idea what Im going to do in another bloody year!” The drama that Ashleys death gave me last year was monumental. But thats gone now.
I travel three hours by car, book into a hotel and then get up the next day to say maybe three sentences. And then do a three hour journey back. I cant justify staying, even though Emmerdale was very generous in asking me to.
