BBC legend and BAFTA winning actor Lee Montague has died

Tributes have been pouring in for the BBC legend

The actor, who was best known for his roles in Bergerac, Espionage, Bird of Prey, Jekyll and Hyde, Casualty and Waking the Dead, had an illustrious career which spanned six decades.

Montague was a student of the Old Vic School and made his breakthrough in 1952 when he appeared in Moulin Rogue.

Montague also had a string of film credits, including The Secret of Blood Island, Brother Sun and The Legacy.

Meanwhile, on stage he played John Rawlings in the 1971 production of Who Saw Him Die by Tudor Gates staged at London’s Theatre Royal Haymarket, Gregory Hawke in The Climate of Eden on Broadway in 1952 and as Ed in Entertaining Mr. Sloane in 1965.

Born Leonard Goldberg in Bow in 1927, throughout his career the actor played figures including Karl Marx, Lenin and Charles Darwin.

In 1965 he also became the first storyteller on the BBC children’s programme Jackanory – going on to narrate 15 episodes.

Tributes have been paid to Montague, with Monty Python star Michael Palin leading with an emotional statement: "Very sad to hear that I shall not see Lee again. He was such good company, wise, experienced, empathetic, funny. It was always a pleasure to share a stage with him."

Meanwhile, Robert Lindsay, who played a boxer in the 1981 TV series Seconds Out opposite Montague as his manager, stated: "I’m devastated as I regarded Lee as my theatrical Dad, and I have kept in touch with him over many years."