It was with great sadness that we learned of the death of actor Gareth Thomas at 71 years old who most of us of a certain age will know best from his 1978 role as the eponymous Roj Blake in Blake’s Seven.

I grew up idolising his Che Guevara in space whose yearning for justice against the repressive Federation led him and his, sometimes reluctant, crew in a five year gallivant around space that I’ll always remember with affection.

Thomas eventually left the role, mainly for stage acting especially Shakespeare, despite being offered more money to stay. He replied that he wasn’t interested in money although he would like to direct a couple of episodes. Sadly we never got to see the creative vision that Thomas would have brought to the series and he left Blake’s Seven until it’s grand finale in the early eighties.

Rewatching the first episode last week the thing that struck me most was that while the sets were, well, of their time and budget the writing and acting was really first rate. Don’t believe me? Watch for yourselves.

 

 

RIP Gareth Thomas.