[reece(:]

Actor Kenny Ireland - best known for his role in TV comedy Benidorm - has died, aged 68, following a battle with cancer.

The veteran Scottish actor and director had played swinger Donald Stewart in the ITV show since 2007.

He was also part of Victoria Wood's fictional rep company in the BBC series Victoria Wood As Seen On TV.

Mr Ireland was director at Edinburgh's Royal Lyceum Theatre for more than a decade until 2003.

He was written out of the latest series of Benidorm in June so he could concentrate on his cancer treatment.

He and co-star Janine Duvitski played a sex-mad couple who holiday at the Solano hotel in the Spanish resort every year.

Mr Ireland's other TV credits include Taggart, Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, the UK version of House of Cards, Drop The Dead Donkey and Heartbeat.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-28587475

RIP