Legendary Only Fools and Horses actor Patrick Murray has died aged 68 after a battle with lung cancer.
The star was best known for playing Cockney chancer Mickey Pearce in the classic BBC comedy series, starring alongside David Jason as Del Boy and Nicholas Lyndhurst as Rodney Trotter.
He previously battled lung cancer but was given the all-clear until the illness returned a year later and spread to his legs and pelvis.
The Only Fools and Horses Appreciation Society paid tribute to the beloved actor in a statement shared to Facebook.
They said: ‘It is with heartfelt sadness that we report the death of our friend Patrick Murray – Mickey Pearce to so many.
‘He was a regular attendee of our conventions and we will miss his humour and the joy he bought to many.
‘Well Pat!’
On X, The Only Fools podcast announced: ‘This never gets easier … rest in peace, Patrick Murray.
‘Patrick was a very talented & clever actor with impeccable timing. He really bought ‘Mickey Pearce’ to life with a mischievous charm.’
The actor starred as Mickey across 20 episodes of the iconic comedy series, from 1983 to 2023, joining Del Boy in a host of hilarious wheeler-dealer antics.
He had previously shot to fame in gritty 70s crime drama Scum and The Who film Quadrophenia.
Mickey often had fans in stitches thanks to his habit of exaggerating his success with business and women.
He also frequently exploited ‘plonker’ Rodney, taking advantage of his youthfulness.
Actor Patrick went on to star in a series of films including Curse Of The Pink Panther and The Firm.
After struggling with alcohol, he attended an Alcoholics Anonymous programme, after which he quit the glamorous world of showbusiness and worked as a taxi driver in Kent.
He also spent time in Thailand where he met his partner Anong in 2016. The couple’s daughter Josie was born shortly after the wedding.
But in an appearance on ITV show Loose Women in 2018, the star revealed his application for a visa for his family had been refused by the Home Office as he did not earn enough money.
He took up work as a chauffeur and described being a ‘Skype dad’ for two years of his daughter’s life.
After years in the cold, he made an acting in 2019, starring in 13 episodes of Conditions as Frank Bridge.
In 2023 Patrick revealed a part of his liver has been removed after doctors discovered a malignant growth in 2022.
He told followers: ‘I am going home today. Minus half a liver and a tumour that the wonderful Prof Heaton removed last week. I kept this under my hat that they’d discovered another primary cancer last year.’
Five months after his initial diagnosis, he told fans he was ‘cured’, writing: ‘Thanks again for all your lovely messages. As you may know, I was diagnosed with lung cancer last July.
‘After an op in October to remove the tumour I had chemo to help prevent the cancer returning.
‘During this chemo, another tumour was discovered in my liver. Luckily for me this cancer was unconnected to the lung cancer and was also treatable.
‘I had a procedure called TACE to deal with this. Last Friday l saw my oncologist She told me the lung cancer was cured and that the tumour in my liver was shrinking.’
He cautiously added: ‘It’s not over yet, but as you can imagine I am over the moon with this latest news.’
Patrick’s death comes after his Only Fools co-star John Challis, better known as Terrance Aubrey ‘Boycie’, died in 2021.
John’s wife Carol paid her own tribute to Patrick today, taking to X to say: ‘My condolences to Pat’s beloved wife Anong and their daughter Josie.’
