THE Scottish actor, comedian, and satirist John Sessions passed away yesterday, his agent has confirmed.
Sessions was born John Gibb Marshall on January 11, 1953 in Largs, Ayrshire. However, he moved to Bedfordshire in central England when he was just three years old.
The satirist died of a heart attack on Monday at his home in south London.
Alex Irwin, the actor's agent, said: "He will be hugely missed."
Sessions enjoyed a career across TV, film, and the stage and was known for regular appearances on shows like Whose Line Is It Anyway?, QI, and his work on Spitting Image.
After completing an MA in English literature at Bangor University in Wales, Sessions spent four years working on a PhD from McMaster University in Canada.
He didn't complete the course, and later said his dissertation was “200 pages of rubbish”.
Sessions got accepted to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (Rada) in 1979. It was here he met Kenneth Branagh.
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After landing his first film role in The Sender in 1982, Sessions had a long career on screen and stage.
He would play two British Prime Ministers, Harold Wilson in Made in Dagenham, and Edward Heath in The Iron Lady.
Sessions would retire from acting in 2017, when he got his last film credit for Loving Vincent, and his last TV role in ITV drama series The Loch.
Sessions was an avid supporter of UKIP, saying in 2015 that "Nigel Farage talks more sense than the rest of the politicians put together".
He also argued for the abolition of the European parliament, and devolved governments.
Talking about Scottish independence, Sessions told the Independent: "It's absolutely ridiculous. I think it's a waste of money. Och, it's just nonsense.
"Have one parliament, Westminster. Get rid of the European bloody Parliament, the Scottish assembly, or Parliament, I should say, the Welsh Assembly.
"They're just money spinning … oh God, they make me so angry."
On the EU, he said: "Well, here we are, we've got these people in Germany, and they get up at six in the morning, and they work until eight in the evening, and these people in Greece fall out of bed at 11, go and play backgammon, drink a bit of coffee, go and have a siesta and then do an hour's work.
"And they expect to get the same benefits, welfare rights, and all the rest of it."
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Tributes to Sessions have been stacking up across social media.
Panel show QI said in a tweet: "John Sessions was a panellist on QI's first ever episode: Series A, Episode One, 'Adam'.
"His incredible wit and encyclopaedic knowledge played a huge part in the show's history and everyone at QI is deeply saddened to learn of his passing."
Broadcaster Danny Baker shared a poster for radio series Beachcomber... By The Way and wrote on Twitter: "Shocked to hear that John Sessions has died at 67.
"Terrific company always and a true talent. His roles at the heart of this, my favourite radio series, have given endless pleasure to me and will continue to do so always. Travel easy, chum."
Blur musician Graham Coxon said: "John Sessions... was mega bright and funny.. that's a great shame. RIP."
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