Fred Feast

Fred Feast (5th October, 1929 - 25th June, 1999) was a British actor best known for his role as Rovers Return Inn potman Fred Gee on Coronation Street, a part he first played in 1972, before being made a permenant character on the programme from 1975 to 1984. Fred was a controversial member of the Street team, having taken time off the programme unexpectedly in 1983 citing depression, but was seen during his absence to be at a football match in supposed fine health. The next time he took time off the following year, it was for good, and after September 1984 the character of Fred Gee was never seen on the show again. Feast had refused to sign a new Street contract and had stated in the press that he didn't want to become another "Coronation Street cabbage", referring to cast members such as Peter Dudley and Bernard Youens, who had both passed away recently.

The Fred Gee character was finally killed off in January 1999 of an off-screen heart attack mentioned by his screen ex-wife Eunice Gee. Six months later, Fred Feast himself died of abdominal cancer. His other acting credits include Crossroads, Emmerdale Farm and Heartbeat.