Derek Harkinson: Last News

Channel 5 is airing a retrospective on the series and its cast tonight at 7.30pm titled Dad’s Army: Secret Lives & Scandal, which will uncover the behind the scenes and personal lives of the crew.It comes as another cast member sadly died in June of this year, Frank Williams, at the age of 90.Sadly, only one out of the original seven main cast members is still alive today - Ian Lavender.He played Frank Pike, better known as Private Pike, the youngest member of the group.Private Pike was instantly recognisable for his not-so regulation attire, sporting a big red scarf much to the frustration of Captain George Mainwaring.Today, Ian is 76 years old and still acting, though his last TV role was back in 2017. Modern audiences may know him best as Derek Harkinson in EastEnders from 2001 to 2017.

Read more: Dad's Army creators were 'woke' back in 1960s and 1970s without even knowing itHe trained at the esteemed Old Vic Theatre School in London and went on to star in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice.But most memorably, Ian joined the cast of EastEnders in 2001 as Derek Harkinson, a gay pal of Pauline Fowler. After Pauline tried to seduce him, he came out as gay in some memorable soap scenes.