Obituary: Nigel Leach

It is with great sadness we report that RADA graduate Nigel Leach has passed away.

Nigel Howard Leach was born in 1956 in London and originally trained as a theatre designer at the Central School of Art and Design before fulfilling his lifelong ambition by being accepted into RADA, where he went on to win the prestigious William Poel Memorial Prize. After graduating in 1980, he worked all over the country in productions ranging from Shakespeare to pantomime, including roles in The Wizard of Oz, The Importance of Being Earnest, Stepping Out, Mixed Blessing, On Approval, An Inspector Calls, King Lear, Moll Flanders, The Drummers, Joseph and 'Tis Pity She's a Whore.

In the West End, he played Christopher Wren in The Mousetrap, Det Con Leadbetter in Budgie, The Musical, Hissing Sid in Heaven's Up and for the National Theatre, Cimbranos in Fuente Ovejuna.

On tours he was Sparkish for Cheek by Jowl's productions of The Country Wife, Malvolio in Twelfth Night and toured the USA as Hawthom in Love in a Village for Opera Della Luna.

He also appeared in many television productions, including the major BBC series Fortunes of War and Strangers and Brothers, as well as A Bit of a Do, Home to Roost, Mr Stabs, The Upper Hand, Ladies in Charge, Lytton'd Dyary and Cover Her Face.

His film work includes the part of Denton Krane in Steven Spielberg's Empire of the Sun. He also appeared in Ridley Scott's Kingdom of Heaven and the leading role of Reilly in Killing Time, a British movie released in 1997.

He was cast in theatre, TV, Film and Radio in both the UK and Spain.

He left the UK in 1997 to live in Spain with his husband where he dedicated himself to teaching English and doing voice over work.

Nigel is survived by his beloved husband Juan Martinez.