Esther Rantzen leads tributes as BBC legend and That’s Life! star Chris Serle dies aged 81

The BBC legend rose to fame in the 80s and 90s…

Dame Esther Rantzen has spoken out about the death of co-star Chris Serle. The That’s Life star’s death was announced on September 23 by the BBC.

Serle rose to fame in the 80s and 90s on shows like That’s Life, Deep End and Points of View. He later chaired Radio 4’s Pick of the Week between 1981 and 1988. The star also fronted a long-running show on BBC Radio Bristol.

Tributes are now flooding in…

Chris was 81 years old (Credit: Nils Jorgensen/Shutterstock)

Esther Rantzen pays tribute to death of Chris Serle

Chris Serle’s death was announced by BBC News on Monday evening. They paid tribute to his legacy and array of roles on a variety of TV and radio shows. Chris leaves behind his wife Ali, their three children and two children from a previous marriage.

The BBC said: “[He was] a familiar and cherished figure on British television screens throughout the 1970s and 1980s.

“His family said funeral and memorial service details are being arranged and will be shared in due course.”

Broadcaster Matthew Sweet wrote to social media of Chris’ death: “This is such painful news. Chris was a donnish and delightful giant of a man.

He was as nice off camera as he was in the studio on camera.

“He had a shambling diffidence that suited him when he – for instance – performed opera on TV without being able to sing. But I’ll remember the warm & magnanimous silent movie fan, laughing in the dark.”

Actress Judy Matheson sadly stated: “This is so sad. He was in my 1st theatre company, travelling all over the US; when I first went to rehearse in Bristol he & his family put me up. He was such a terrific guy.

Tributes flood in for late BBC legend

“Further to my last post, a memory with the brilliant Chris Serle, with me in my 1st job with the Bristol Old Vic, on our US tour in the Garden of The Gods in Denver in 1967. He never seemed to age. We were both novices in professional theatre, but Chris became a polymath. R.I.P.” [sic]

One fan wrote to social media: “Sad to hear BBC’s Chris Serle has passed at 81 He was on lots of BBC shows when I was growing up in the 70’s & 80’s The Computer Show was probably my fav.” [sic]

“Chris Serle is in no small way responsible for feeding an obsession that’s never left me. Difficult to underestimate the impact that simple wee clips show ‘Windmill’ had on me. So many Sunday mornings, bewitched as he introduced *treasure*. Thank you, Chris,” [sic] detailed another.

Esther Rantzen has paid tribute to Chris (Credit: SplashNews.com)
Chris’ co-star Esther Rantzen told the PA News agency: “I am so very sad to hear that Chris Serle, one of our best-loved That’s Life! reporters, has died.

“He was as nice off camera as he was in the studio on camera – funny, clever, charming, a very versatile presenter. When I first met him he was a producer, but it was clear that he had all the attributes of the best reporters.

“Viewers and listeners of That’s Life! and the many other radio and television programmes he presented will be equally sad.”