The actor portrayed Reverend George Stevens on the BBC soap opera for a decadelong run.Show Caption
Actor Michael Keating, best known for his roles on the British television series "Blake's 7" and "EastEnders," has died. He was 79.Keating's agent, Dan Ireson, confirmed his death in a statement to USA TODAY Thursday, May 21, noting that the actor "passed away recently." Additional details on Keating's death were not available.A native of Edmonton, England, Keating began his acting career in the late 1960s and '70s with a string of guest appearances in TV shows such as "Special Branch," "Merry-Go-Round," "Omnibus," "The Dragon's Opponent" and the British sci-fi drama "Doctor Who."Keating's big break came in 1978 when he landed a starring role on the BBC space drama "Blake's 7," which follows the dystopian power struggle between a group of rebels and a totalitarian regime that has taken over Earth. His character Vila Restal, a cunning petty thief, was the only one to appear in all 52 episodes of the series.The actor was also beloved for his decadelong stint on BBC's long-running soap opera "EastEnders." Keating portrayed Reverend George Stevens for 54 episodes from 2005 to 2017. Stevens, the vicar of the show's main town Walford, often oversaw various milestones for the other characters, including christenings, marriages and funerals.Keating reprised his "Blake's 7" role – this time behind the microphone – for several podcast series in the 2010s and early 2020s: "Blake's 7: The Liberator Chronicles" (2012-2016), "Blake's 7: The Classic Adventures" (2013-2020) and "The Worlds of Blake's 7" (2021-2022)."I would sit at the back of the Audio Sorcery control room hooting with laughter at his comic timing in our recordings," Peter Anghelides, an audio producer for "Blake's 7," said in a statement released by Big Finish Productions. "In the green room when we recorded the first full-cast audio Warship, he jokingly suggested that there should have been a planet named 'Vere' after his old colleague, TV director/producer Vere Lorrimer, so obviously I smuggled that idea into a later script, much to Michael's great delight."What a joy it was to work with Michael," Anghelides added. "His cheery presence on studio days was always most welcome."
