Roger Foss

Widely respected theatre critic, journalist and former actor Roger Foss passed away on April 20, having just turned 80, in Manchester following a sudden stroke.

Born in West Ham, London, Foss was passionate about the stage and entertainment from a young age.

After studying acting at Theatre Royal Stratford East and working extensively in weekly rep, Foss most notably co-starred as Tinker in the television series Sexton Blake from 1967 to 1971, clocking up 60 episodes. Other TV work included Gideon’s Way (1966), Emergency Ward 10 (1966), and The Brothers (1974), as well as various TV commercials.

In 1972, he released a single on the Philips label, Happy Song, performing it nationally at children’s Saturday morning cinemas and theatres, as well as TV performances on The Sooty Show and But Seriously, It’s Sheila Hancock. Other stage work included The Soldier’s Fortune with Hancock and Arthur Lowe, directed by Peter Gill, at London’s Royal Court (1967), and writing, directing and producing pantomimes.

After pivoting away from acting, Foss graduated from the University of Essex with a master’s in literature and drama. He initially moved into left-wing political journalism but was pulled back to his love of entertainment, this time as a theatre journalist, critic and editor. He became deputy editor and later editor of What’s On In London magazine (a tourist-friendly alternative to Time Out), writing reviews, interviews and features. He subsequently also edited What’s On Stage magazine for three years. In a groundbreaking move, he produced and presented one of the UK’s first theatre podcasts (audio and video) for Whatsonstage.com.

He became a regular broadcaster on theatre, regularly on LBC radio, and his television work included presenting for BBC London’s Inside Out. He was a member of the judging panel for the OffWestEnd.com awards, the Offies, and became a regular feature writer for The Stage. He wrote several successful theatre-related books, including May the Farce Be With You and, more recently, Till the Boys Come Home: How British Theatre Fought the Great War, and co-wrote (with me) Harden’s Theatregoers’ Handbook.

In 2014, he retired to Manchester with his husband Liam. He never slowed down, continuing to work for The Stage as a critic. Up to his death, Roger was volunteering for the Whitworth Art Gallery, the Stroke Association and others.

He was known for his generosity as well as knowledgeability and affability with colleagues on both sides of the footlights, worlds he straddled with rare grace and charm.

Roger Foss was born on April 12, 1945, and died on April 20, aged 80.