John Challis: Funeral held for Herefordshire actor

You are viewing content from Sunshine Radio Herefordshire and Monmouthshire. Would you like to make this your preferred location?

Monday, 4 October 2021 13:00

The wife of Only Fools and Horses actor John Challis has shared pictures of the late actor's funeral send off, which included a wicker coffin and his beloved cap that he 'wore all the time'.

The actor, who played Boycie in the popular BBC show, died last month following a long battle with cancer.

He was interred on Saturday in a "lovely simple graveside burial, no service, for family and a few friends", Carol Challis said.

She added it was a "good send-off".

We gave my lovely man a good send off yesterday,in the pouring rain,so I’m sharing these pics with you,if you don’t mind.The red flash on the wicker is for the lifelong Arsenal fan and the cap was something he wore all the time! pic.twitter.com/RCA0Thmrup
— Carol Challis (@BeingBoycie) October 3, 2021

Actress Sue Holderness, who played Challis's on-screen wife Marlene, posted on social media: "It was a very beautiful (and very WET) send off. He would have approved.

"Miss him. Every moment."

After the burial, Mrs Challis shared pictures of her husband's casket saying the "flash of red" was due to his love of Arsenal FC, with a cap he often wore placed on top.

John lived at Wigmore Abbey in North Herefordshire.