Richard Franklin, known for his appearances in Doctor Who and Emmerdale, passes away on Christmas Day

Richard Franklin, known for his roles in Doctor Who and Emmerdale, has passed away at the age of 87. The actor died peacefully on Christmas Day after battling a long-term illness. Franklin is best remembered for playing Captain Mike Yates of UNIT in Doctor Who from 1971 to 1974. He also appeared in shows like Crossroads, Emmerdale (previously known as Emmerdale Farm), and Heartbeat. Franklin's spokesperson expressed deep sadness at his loss and praised his generosity, creativity, and storytelling skills. The statement also mentioned Franklin's joy in entertaining audiences through his TV and theatre career, and his legacy is expected to endure. Funeral details will be shared in the future. Franklin, born in Marylebone in 1936, wrote the book Forest Wisdom: Radical Reform of Democracy and the Welfare State. Additionally, he ran as a candidate in parliamentary elections for various parties, such as the Liberal Democrats in 1992 and UKIP in 2001. Franklin even founded the Silent Majority Party and received 78 votes when he ran in the Hove constituency during the 2005 general election.