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'Rainbow' Presenter Geoffrey Hayes Dies At 76

'Rainbow' Presenter Geoffrey Hayes Dies At 76

Hayes was best known as the presenter of the classic children's TV show, alongside puppet pals Bungle, Zippy and George

Jess Hardiman

Jess Hardiman

Geoffrey Hayes, who was known as the presenter of classic children's TV show Rainbow, has passed away at the age of 76.

Confirming the news, Hayes' manager Phil Dale said in a statement: "It is with great sadness that the family announce that Geoffrey passed away in hospital with his wife, Sarah, and son, Tom, by his side.

"Geoffrey Hayes (born 13 March 1942) was an English television presenter and actor, best known as the host of Thames Television's top-rated children's show Rainbow, and for his portrayal of Detective Constable Scatliff in the successful TV series Z Cars for the BBC.

"The family would like to express their thanks to the many fans over the years as it always gave Geoffrey so much pleasure to know that he and his Rainbow team had given so much fun to TV and theatre audiences over the years.

"There will be no further comment at the moment and it would be appreciated if the privacy of Geoffrey's family is respected at this most difficult time."

PA

According to the Evening Standard, Hayes appeared in more than 1,000 episodes of Rainbow from 1974 until 1992 - alongside iconic puppet characters Zippy, George and Bungle.

He took over from the show's original presenter, David Cook, and went on to become a household name.

While Hayes also featured in Z Cars (a British TV drama about uniformed police) between 1971 and 1974, he's spoken about his struggle to find work elsewhere - with many people only able to see him as Geoffrey from Rainbow, which hindered his plans to become a more serious actor.

Revealing how he got his most famous role, a few years ago Hayes told the Express: "Getting the job was about being in the right place at the right time. I'd been appearing in a daytime soap at Thames Television when I heard that a producer was auditioning actors for a children's programme.

"It sounded interesting, so I knocked on his door and got an audition. I was a jobbing actor with no experience of kids' TV but, thankfully, I got the job."

He continued: "Rainbow became a cult programme and for several years, I received bookings - along with Bungle, George and Zippy - for nightclubs and university dos. We always got an amazing reaction."

Rest in peace.

Featured Image Credit: ITV

Topics: TV and Film, UK Entertainment