Robbie Coltrane 1950-2022

[Belle]

This very sad news greeted me upon waking this morning. How I loved this actor; this garrulous bear of a man. At once lyrical, at another tender, yet again cynical - and with a golden baritone delivery. His finest achievement, the TV series "Cracker"; in its earliest episodes the apotheosis of complex English writing for the medium. Every word had power, every look meaning. "Cracker" took no prisoners; its characters were unattractive, gritty and reflected the seedy street world they policed.

Coltrane brought considerable depth, intelligence and ambiguity to his "Fitz". He the adversary of Judith, yet also her nemesis and lover; his demons could be all our demons. "Pan-Handle" his bit of crumpet, but needed and respected too. Yes, the complexities of life right there in that police station in Central London. The series explored the extent to which we can all become corrupted by perfidious surroundings.

Thank you Robbie, Jimmy McGovern and the cast of "Cracker". All at the top of their games.