Dad's Army star Ian Lavender dies at 77: Actor best known for playing the hapless Private Pike and the last surviving main cast member of the classic sitcom, passes away

Dad's Army and EastEnders star Ian Lavender has died aged 77, it was announced today.

The news was revealed at 12pm via Dad's Army's official social media account, as they paid tribute to the sitcom's final cast members.

The message read: 'We are deeply saddened by the passing of the great Ian Lavender.

“In what truly marks the end of an era, Ian was the last surviving member of the main cast of Dad's Army.”

Lavender, best known as the young Private Pike, was cast in the classic comedy series in 1968 at the age of 22.

Ian was cast as Private Pike, the only youthful member of the reserve force, who was often reprimanded for his simplicity.

Lavender, second from left, was a comic stooge – often taunted as a 'stupid boy' by the group's Captain Mainwairing, played by Arthur Lowe (centre)

Jimmy Edwards (centre), Patricia Brake (left) and Ian Lavender (right) in ITV's 'The Glums' – 1978

Lavender (left) pictured with Jimmy Edwards (right) in the 1979 comedy series The Glums

Lavender pictured doing odd jobs at home in a magazine article in 1980

Lavender on the red carpet of The Oldie of the Year Awards in London in 2015

After Dad's Army, Lavender found renewed success in BBC One's Eastenders, starring as Derek Harkinson – a friend of Pauline Fowler – from 2001 to 2005, and again from 2016 to 2017.

As Pauline's gay best friend Derek, Lavender was involved in many of the soap's major storylines in the early 200s. He left the series in 2005 and later returned in 2016

Ian Lavender as Monsignor Howard in Sister Act: The Musical at London's Palladium Theater in August 2010

Born in Birmingham in 1946, Lavender was married twice. His first wife was actress Suzanne Kerchiss in a union that lasted from 1967 to 1976, and the couple had two sons Dan and Sam.

From that moment on he lived happily with the American-born Miki Hardy. The couple married in 1993 after 16 years together, following Lavender's diagnosis with bladder cancer, which was successfully treated. He also survived a heart attack.

In addition to acting, he was a huge supporter of Aston Villa Football Club and chose a burgundy and blue scarf as part of Pike's wardrobe.

Lavender had only recently graduated from drama school and had only one previous TV appearance to his name when he was cast in Dad's Army, in stark contrast to the rest of the cast – who were comedy veterans.

The acting gig was only expected to last eight weeks, but the show's phenomenal success meant it lasted for the better part of a decade. It attracted an audience of 18 million people, lasted from 1968 to 1977 and saw Lavender become a household name.

As Pike, Lavender was a comedic stooge in the series, often berated as a “stupid boy” by the group's Captain Mainwairing, played by Arthur Lowe, although the other members of the Reserve Army behaved more cordially towards him.

Lavender was the key to one of Dad's army's funniest moments, when he sang a song calling Hitler a 'twerp' to the German troops.

Lavender also starred in 'Carry On Behind', pictured with actress Adrienne Posta

Lavender's official Eastenders profile photo, showing his character Derek Harkinson outside the show's iconic Queen Vic pub

Born in Birmingham in 1946, Lavender was married twice. His first wife was actress Suzanne Kerchiss in a union that lasted from 1967 to 1976, and the couple had two sons, Dan and Sam.

From 1977 onwards, Lavender lived happily with the American-born Miki Hardy. The couple married in 1993 after 16 years together, following Lavender's diagnosis with bladder cancer, which was successfully treated.

The Nazi captain says his name will also appear on a list of people he will take revenge on.

When asked what it is, Captain Mainwaring insists, “Don't tell him, Pike,” accidentally revealing his name.

In retrospect, Lavender suggested that Pike had set boundaries for his career, when he told The Independent: “I've certainly been typecast, but no one expects you to come up with that character.”

“People don't want Frank Pike, but they expect you to be funny.”

After years of service in the show's fiction home, Wilmington on Sea, he guest-starred in many television series and also took to the stage. He tread the boards with Dustin Hoffman in The Merchant of Venice and also appeared in Sister Act: The Musical.

Outside of Dads Army, his biggest impact on the big screen was as Derek Harkinson in Eastenders from 2001 to 2005, and again from 2016 to 2017. Initially, Christian's (John Partridge) boyfriend Derek became close friends with the show's matriarch, Pauline Fowler. (Wendy Craig).

He appeared in a total of 240 episodes of the BBC One soap.