Michael Keating, EastEnders and Blake’s 7 star, dies aged 79

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Michael Keating, a well-known actor from shows like EastEnders and Blake’s 7, has passed away at the age of 79.

News of Keating’s passing has spread across social media, including on Cult Edge, which publishes books related to the science fiction series Blake’s 7.

Cult Edge shared news on X expressing deep sadness over the passing of Michael Keating. They described him as a wonderful man who will be greatly missed, and extended their condolences to his family and friends. They ended with a message of remembrance and gratitude.

Paul Carmichael, creator of the Ace Odyssey podcast featuring Sophie Aldred, shared his sadness about Michael Keating’s passing online. He remembered Keating as a talented actor with a long and successful career, including appearances in #EastEnders, but said he’d always be best known for his role as Vila in #Blakes7. He finished with a message of rest in peace.

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Born in London in 1947, Keating began his acting career early, notably appearing as Goudry in the 1977 Doctor Who episode, ‘The Sun Makers’.

He became widely known in 1978 for his role as Vila Restal in the science fiction series Blake’s 7. Vila is unique because he’s the only character who appeared in every single episode of the show, which continued until 1981.

Keating also appeared in popular shows like Yes Minister, Casualty, Micro Men, and Midsomer Murders. He became well-known for his role as Reverend Stevens in EastEnders, which he began playing in 2005.

The character continued to appear in the show until 2017. In his final episode, he told Dot Cotton he was retiring and moving to Australia to be with his daughter.

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Michael appeared in many audio dramas produced by Big Finish. Peter Anghelides, the producer of Big Finish’s Blake’s 7 series, shared that it was a pleasure working with him. He recalled first meeting Michael at the BBC Television Centre in 1981, not realizing that thirty years later he’d be writing and producing Blake’s 7 audio stories specifically for him to play the character Vila Restal.

Everyone always loved having him in the studio. I especially enjoyed sitting in the back of the control room, laughing at his perfect comedic delivery during our recordings. When we were recording the first full-cast audio drama, Warship, he playfully suggested naming a planet after his friend and colleague, Vere Lorrimer, a TV director and producer. I immediately liked the idea and secretly added it to a later script, which he was thrilled about.

Michael Garner was a fan favorite as Vila in Blake’s 7. He’s the only character who appeared in all the TV episodes from 1978 to 1981, as well as both BBC radio adaptations. Initially, the show’s creator, Terry Nation, considered removing Vila from the main cast during the planning of the second season. However, the production team realized the character was popular with viewers, largely due to Michael’s skillful portrayal of the charming thief and unwilling hero.

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James HibbsDrama Writer

As someone who’s totally obsessed with TV, I find it fascinating to learn about the people making the shows we love. I recently came across James Hibbs, who’s a drama writer for TopMob – basically, he covers everything from shows on streaming services to those on regular TV channels. Before that, he was in PR, first at a business-to-business agency and then at Fremantle, a big international production company. He’s got a solid background in storytelling too, with a BA in English and Theatre Studies and a journalism diploma to boot.

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2026-05-21 17:04