Robert Fyfe, who played Howard in Last of the Summer Wine, has died at the age of 90.

The actor, from Kirkcaldy, Fife, portrayed the shy and downtrodden husband of battleaxe Pearl Sibshaw on screen from 1985 until the beloved sitcom’s cancellation in 2010.

He was known to viewers for his affair with the peroxide blonde Marina and his often unsuccessful attempts at hiding their dalliance from his wife.

Tribute Lunch Kaplan
Co-stars Juliette Kaplan and Jean Ferguson (PA)

Fyfe’s death was confirmed to the PA news agency by the talent agency Curtis Brown.

His wife Diana died a few weeks before him, leaving sons Timothy, Nicholas and Dominic.

Fyfe’s first role came in 1962 with Dr Finlay’s Casebook and he later appeared in Coronation Street, Z Cars, Angels, The Onedin Line, Survivors, The Gentle Touch and Monarch of the Glen.

He also appeared in films including The 51st State, Around the World in 80 Days and Cloud Atlas.

Morris Bright, chairman of Elstree Studios, where episodes of Last Of The Summer Wine were filmed, paid tribute.

He tweeted: “Sad to hear Robert Fyfe has passed aged 90. The loveliest of people, we shared some very happy times on location for Last of the Summer Wine back in the late 1990s.”

Juliette Kaplan, who played Pearl Sibshaw, died in October 2019 from cancer while Jean Fergusson, who played Marina, died in November that year.