Trevor Mills Byfield (20 October 1943 – 11 October 2017)^[1] was a British character actor particularly well known for his roles on British television. In many of his later roles he was credited as Zig Byfield.

Theatre work

Prior to his work in television and film he appeared in several stage musicals under the name Ziggy Byfield. These included the 1970s production of Hair, where he appeared alongside Joan Armatrading, Richard O'Brien, Paul Nicholas and Floella Benjamin.^[2] He also appeared later in Richard O’Brien's The Rocky Horror Show.^[3]

Television work

Byfield featured in many popular British television programmes over several decades, these included Heartbeat, EastEnders, Casualty, Holby City, Coronation Street, Family Affairs, Doctors, Only Fools and Horses, Inspector Morse (as the title character in the episode "Who Killed Harry Field?"), One Foot in the Grave, Birds of a Feather, The Professionals, Minder, Spooks, Lovejoy, So Haunt Me and New Tricks.^[4][5][6] He appeared in seventeen episodes of The Bill in fourteen different roles.

Personal life

Byfield married Janet Offor in 1966 and they had two children together, but subsequently divorced.

Accident

In January 2009 he suffered a broken hip and ribs as well as a collapsed lung, when a tractor that he was driving lost control on a road and hit trees before rolling down an embankment during filming of the ITV show Heartbeat near Grosmont. Four crew members were also hurt. Byfield was airlifted to hospital.^[7]

Death

Byfield died from pneumonia on 11 October 2017, aged 73.

Partial filmography

Film

Television