Back and There Again

[bigcat]

How many actors have ever starred in a series, left that series for years and then returned to star in the series again for many seasons?

 

[Roger]

Brian Wilde as Foggy and Mike Grady as Barry both left the show and later returned.

 

[theatrically_inclined]

Depends what you mean by "starred", but the character Norris Fairburn played by David Williams appears in “Getting Sam Home”, he then reprises his role in “Will Stella Find True Love with Norris Fairburn?” 26 years later in series 30. David Williams does make three other appearances in between, but he's not explicitly Norris in those episodes.

 

[404 Not Found]

Louis Emerick as 2nd PC had a 16 year gap between his stints; again it is how you define "starred".

 

[Pearl]

Nora Batty.

 

[Bora Natty]

I didn't realize Barry had left?

 

[wstol]

How many actors have ever starred in a series, left that series for years and then returned to star in the series again for many seasons?

Are we talking about LOTSW only? Or other programmes?

 

[bigcat]

I was thinking of any program. Trying to figure out of the character of Foggy doing years on the show, leaving for years and then returning for years was unique?

 

[Adanor]

On Still Open All Hours, David Jason and Linda Byron both returned after having been on Open All Hours. They both continued with their roles. David Jason went from being a reluctant assistant to being the proprietor with the ability to come up with various schemes.

 

[captain clutterbuck]

On Still Open All Hours, David Jason and Linda Byron both returned after having been on Open All Hours. They both continued with their roles. David Jason went from being a reluctant assistant to being the proprietor with the ability to come up with various schemes.

As did Mrs Featherstone who appeared in both.

 

[Adrian Morris]

As did Mrs Featherstone who appeared in both.

I was only thinking about it the other day but you look at Mrs Featherstone in Open All Hours and then in Still Open All Hours considering all those years between programmes it looks like she hasn't aged a day.

 

[Sarkus]

I didn't realize Barry had left?

The character never left, the actor did for six years. He was occasionally referenced but never seen between "Barry's Christmas" (1990) and "Extra! Extra!" (1996). Alan Bell in his book says this was by Mike Grady's request, who felt it would help his career.

 

[Bora Natty]

Thank you for that, I never knew..

 

[ferret]

Sally Anne Mathews has a break of 23 years in Coronation Street before returning. I think there’s probably quite a few in soap operas including a few who came back from the dead!!

 

[theatrically_inclined]

If we are not sticking to Summer Wine; "EastEnders" Mary Smith / Mary the Punk left in May 1988 and returned for Dr Legg's funeral in 2019 - 31 years later - and returned again in 2022 for Dot Cotton's funeral.