Children’s TV star Steve Hodson dies aged 77
He died from a progressive disease.
Children’s TV star Steve Hodson, known for his role in 70s show Follyfoot and the BBC’s All Creatures Great & Small, has died at the age of 77.
Facebook fanpage Follyfoot Forum and Fansite shared a message from Hodson’s daughter announcing his death.
‘We have had a very sad update from Steve Hodson’s daughter Jessica. Steve passed away last night after a long battle with COPD,’ the admin wrote.
‘That’s one brighter star you’ll see in the heavens from now on. Much love to all his family at this awful time.’
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a progressive lung condition which makes it difficult to breathe.
Hodson was a TV star in the 1970s, rocketing to fame with beloved children’s series Follyfoot, which ran from 1971 to 1973 and over 39 episodes amassed 14million viewers.
He is best known forstarring inFollyfoot and All Creatures Great and Small (Picture: ITV/REX/Shutterstock)In the series, based on Monica Dickens’ novel Cobbler’s Dream, Hodson played horseman Steve Ross and through this role captured a huge number of admirers.
The teatime drama, which followed the adventures of three young people working at a horse rescue centre, won the 1972 Harlequin award for best children’s programme from the Society of Film and Television Arts (now Bafta).
Fans, who remember well the hit theme song The Lightening Tree, have taken to social media to express their sadness at Hodson’s death.
Linda Price wrote: ‘I had the pleasure of meeting Steve at Folly’s Donkey Sanctuary open day/fair.
‘We had a lovely chat, he signed some books and I took some photos. When I moved home, not everything got unpacked – I’ll try and find these. He was a lovely friendly soul, blessed to have met him.’
He earned a legion of fans for his role as Steve Ross in the 1970s TV show (Picture: ITV/REX/Shutterstock)Hodson was a civil servant in Bradford before he got a place at Central School of Speech and Drama.
His TV debut came in drama series Hine in 1971 and he then starred in The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes before landing his most iconic role.
He would go on to appear in the BBC’s All Creatures Great and Small and children’s series Break in the Sun.
The actor’s last television appearance was in His Dark Materials in 2003, by which time he also voiced many radio and audiobooks.
Hodson married his wife Rosamund after finishing in Follyfoot, and they had two daughters.
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