Richard Wilson's memory was "destroyed" after he suffered a head injury in a nasty fall.
Richard Wilson
The 'One Foot In The Grave' actor - who played Victor Meldrew in the beloved BBC sitcom - had a heart attack at his home in 2016 which saw him fall and hit his head, and he has opened up about the lasting effects.
He told The Oldie magazine: "I do get quite tired about not being able to walk as I used to and having to use a stick, but that is frustration more than grumpiness.
"I fell off a small balcony while I was waiting to meet a writer for coffee outside Maison Blanc.
"As I did so, I hit my head, which caused a bleed in the brain. That’s why my memory has been destroyed a bit. As a result, I am more forgetful – but not more grumpy.”
The 84-year-old actor's former co-star Anette Crosbie - who played his on-screen wife Margaret - revealed at the time of his fall that his heart attack wasn't a complete shock.
She said: "I heard the news when I went down the shops this morning, and though I’m taken aback, it doesn’t come as a total surprise because Richard has had angina for quite a few years.
“Let’s face it, we’re all heading in the same direction, and when you get to our age, it’s getting closer and closer.
"I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he's going to be OK."
Meanwhile, Richard previously branded his character - and Victor's catchphrase "I don't believe it!" - as "boring" when the novelty wore off, but said he understands the appeal for fans.
He said: "I suppose the novelty of 'I don't believe it!' was rather amusing at first. And then it became rather boring.
"And then I just thought to myself, 'Well, you're never going to escape this, so you might as well accept it.'
"Victor did change my life. If I am walking down the street now and someone shouts it at me I just raise a hand and wave and walk on."
Tagged in Richard Wilson