Paul Darrow(1941-2019)

In late 2014 he suffered an aortic aneurysm. Due to complications, surgeons had to amputate both of his legs; one above the knee and the other below it.

David Maloney, the producer of, among many other fine works, Blake's 7 (1978), has died. Whilst there is nothing surer for any of us in life than death, it is still very difficult to come to terms with the final loss of someone for whom we felt great affection and held in esteem. It is a cliché, but David will be sorely missed by all those who knew him. His gentle humour, quiet diplomacy and undoubted skill as a director/producer are qualities all too rare, especially today. Two years ago, he looked me in the eye and asked who I thought would be the first of Blake's 7 (1978) "to go!" I thought - am I looking unwell? Soon afterwards, we lost David "Gan Jackson (David Jackson). Now, another David is gone. I cannot speak for anyone else. All I can say is that David always treated me with courtesy and respect and, from time to time, enjoyed 'sending me up.' He knew, as did I, that my 'macho' image as Avon was something of a facade. Terry Nation's Blake's 7 (1978) was, and is, a family of sorts. A quarter of a century or more since its conclusion, those of us associated with the programme are aware of this. We have lost our founder, one of our leading actors, our favourite eccentric director and now, our producer. In time, we will all pass away, leaving nothing but flickering images of a splendid enterprise that captured the imagination of so many. An achievement in no small measure attributable to David Maloney.