TV legend Donald Macdonald, who introduced the BBC’s Play College from 1966 to 1969, has died on the age of 86 after a brief battle with most cancers, along with his showbiz buddies paying tribute

Beloved tv presenter Donald Macdonald, finest identified for internet hosting the basic kids’s present Play College, has sadly handed away on the age of 86.

Following a short battle with most cancers, Donald misplaced his combat on Monday, forsaking a legacy spanning over 40 years within the leisure trade. All through his illustrious profession, he not solely starred in quite a few stage productions, together with John McKellar’s A Cup of Tea, a Bex and a Good Lie Down, but additionally made appearances in TV dramas that he penned himself.

Nonetheless, it is his time on the enduring BBC present Play College that is still etched within the reminiscences of many. Donald introduced the present from 1966 to 1969, sharing the display screen with different acquainted faces like Trisha Goddard.

Journalist Craig Bennett took to social media to pay tribute, saying: “One in every of our showbiz greats left us at 12:45am at present.”

Craig continued: “Donald Macdonald was a stalwart of stage and display screen, who’d written smash-hit performs like Caravan, dazzled on London’s West Finish, and delighted tens of millions over the a long time along with his starring activates TV sequence like Play College the place he was a presenter from 1966 to 1969.”, stories the Mirror.

The Australia-based journalist, the place Donald was born, added: “He guested on exhibits from Sure Girls, The Field, Cop Store and Skyways, to the raunchy Alvin Purple, and in motion pictures like Superman Returns. Donald was a dapper delight and all the time nice firm.”

Donald first discovered success as a stage actor in Australia earlier than relocating to the UK within the Sixties to additional his profession. He went on to pen extra theatrical works, together with the comedic play Caravan, which tells the story of three {couples} on a disastrous vacation collectively.

He continued to behave, with movie credit together with Superman Returns and Kenny.

Nonetheless, a short battle with most cancers compelled him to step away from appearing and presenting in recent times, and Donald handed away in Australia on Monday. In his closing days, he frolicked along with his cousins, Paula Duncan and Amelia Barrett.

In a social media put up, Mr Bennett shared: “On Saturday we turned his hospital room into a celebration, laughs and smiles a-plenty, as Donald loved some bubbly and lemon meringue pie.

“Blue was all the time his color, even in a hospital robe! He gave his permission to put up his final photograph, saying ‘what the heck!’ Vale to a real gentleman.”

Fb customers responded to the journalist’s put up, expressing their sorrow on the showbiz star’s passing.

One fellow actor wrote: “Honoured to have appeared in two of his performs. The consummate gentleman. And, nobody performed a Excessive Courtroom Choose like Donald. RIP.”

One other shared: “We had been VERY LUCKY to satisfy Donald by means of you each, get to know him, and be entertained by his beautiful demeanor, sharp wit and naturally his writing abilities. What a beautiful, light man.”