Doctor Who and Dad’s Army star John Leeson dies aged 83 after ‘summer of illness’

| Assistant Entertainment Editor Published November 2, 2026 7:28am Updated November 2, 2026 7:35am John Leeson, best known for voicing K9 on Doctor Who, has died at the age of 83 (Picture: Shutterstock) Doctor Who star John Leeson, who provided the unmistakable voice of beloved robotic dog K9, has died aged 83. The actor, who also appeared in Dad’s Army and Rainbow, died peacefully following a ‘summer of illness’, his family confirmed. His son Guy Ducker announced the heartbreaking news on Facebook, writing: ‘I regret to announce the death of my father, John Ducker, a.k.a. John Leeson, at 3:03pm today after a summer of illness. The end was peaceful.’ He concluded the announcement with a quote from Shakespeare’s Hamlet: ‘Good night, sweet prince, and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.’ Leeson, who was born John Ducker, became a fixture of British science fiction history when he first lent his voice to K9 in the 1977 Doctor Who serial The Invisible Enemy. Get personalised updates on Doctor Who Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro’s TV Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we’ll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you. Despite being a small metal dog with a distinctly limited range of facial expressions, K9 became one of the show’s most beloved companions, thanks in no small part to Leeson’s wonderfully deadpan delivery. K9 became a beloved fan favourite of the show (Picture: BBC) His unmistakable ‘Affirmative, Master’ became a catchphrase for generations of viewers, with the character’s dry wit and unwavering loyalty making him an unlikely fan favourite. Leeson continued voicing the character across multiple eras of the long-running BBC series, including its modern revival, and reprised the role in spin-offs such as The Sarah Jane Adventures and numerous audio dramas. Paying tribute, Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies described Leeson as a ‘fine, fine actor’, admitting it was ‘impossible to imagine anyone else’ bringing K9 to life. Leeson appeared in the Dad’s Army episode Sons of the Sea (Picture: Columbia/Norcon/Kobal/Shuttersto) Reflecting on the character, Davies wrote: ‘What a character: a posh dog, uppity, haughty, wry, but somehow innocent too, and so funny. “Maximum defence mode!” God he was good.’ He concluded: ‘A true gent, and a great loss. Good night, sir. Affirmative!’ While K9 undoubtedly became his defining role, Leeson’s career extended far beyond the Tardis. His television credits included Dad’s Army, Sorry!, Crown Court, The Bill, Vanity Fair, Doctors and Blake’s 7, while younger viewers may also remember him as the original performer behind Bungle the Bear in Rainbow. Deals of the Day QVC shoppers can save £159 on Elemis' biggest beauty gift set of the year This Hoover vacuum is a game-changer for pet owners and muddy homes The wellbeing brand behind everyone's favourite candles has launched its biggest sale yet See London's Christmas lights from an open-top double-decker bus this winter My skin always suffers when the heating goes on but this serum changed that He was also a familiar voice to Channel 4 audiences through his work as a continuity announcer. Arrow MORE: Party Rock Anthem singer Lauren Bennett’s death at age 36 ruled suicide Arrow MORE: Patrick Stewart’s final film is a fitting end to a career that defied snobbery Arrow MORE: Sir Patrick Stewart lovingly remembered by best friend Sir Ian McKellen in beautiful tribute TV Newsletter Sign up and tell us which TV shows you love to watch to get personalised updates every morning.