Some TV stars of yesteryear stick in my mind of a variety of weird reasons. Reg Varney is one of them. Of course, I know he was the main boy in On The Buses, playing Stan Butler, but the first thing that pops into my head when you mention his name is that he was the first person in Britain to use a cash machine. Sadly, for fans of bawdy ’60s comedy, Reg has passed away, aged 92. Varney died after a short illness in a nursing home in Budleigh Salterton, Devon, where he had recently been admitted with a chest infection. His daughter Jeanne Marley, 59, said her father had died “peacefully” on Sunday afternoon.

Varney was the central character in On The Buses, which was one of the most successful British comedies of the ’60s and ’70s, making the leap to the big screen. Varney’s tag-team with co-star Bob Grant, who played randy and pun-tastic Jack Harper, saw them become household names for a generation.

Varney first appeared on screen in BBC sitcom The Rag Trade, as well as starring in Beggar My Neighbour. However, it was On The Buses that saw him propelled to stardom. Reg had lived in Devon for the past 20 years, and had lived alone since his wife Lilian died in 2002. He is survived by his daughter, two grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.