role, especially for his portrayal of his character's mental decline and subsequent nervous breakdown. The character also endured a succession of misfortunes, which included two short spells in prison, a persistent struggle with unemployment, his daughter Michelle's (Susan Tully) pregnancy at the age of 16, his son Mark's (Todd Carty) diagnosis with HIV, and a midlife crisis where he had an affair with Christine Hewitt (Elizabeth Power) which almost broke up his marriage to Pauline (Wendy Richard). By 1995, Treacher had requested to be written out of the series, stating: "By the time I finished, even the sound of the theme music was making me feel ill. I felt depressed." He also stated in a 2003 BBC documentary interviewing past stars of the show that he felt "compelled" to leave with advancing age. He said the stress of a gruelling schedule working long hours on the show was affecting his health and that doctors told him that if he did not leave the job soon and relax, it would kill him. Films Treacher appeared in several films, most notably Pop Pirates (1984), The Musketeer (2001), Tale of the Mummy (1998), and George and the Dragon (2004). Radio Treacher was also an accomplished radio actor and appeared in a BBC Radio 4 play of the day, Bringing Eddie Home by John Peacock, based on a true story of the fight by East End couple Edna and Jack Wallace to get their son's body brought home from Aden, and the ensuing fight for the rights of British service personnel. Treacher played the role of the older Jack Wallace and the play also included other ex EastEnders actors Tilly Vosburgh, Edna Doré, Todd Carty and Joe Absolom. Advertisements In 1973, Treacher appeared in a British television commercial for the Austin Allegro motor car. In 1983, he later appeared in another British television commercial this time for Colgate toothpaste where he played a grocer. In 1984, he was a Beefeater in the Tower of London to Paul Hogan's tourist in a British television commercial for Foster's Lager. Personal life, illness and death Treacher was married to the Australian actress Katherine Kessey; they had two children: Jamie, who is also an actor, and Sophie, a production assistant. They lived in Suffolk. In 2015, Treacher told the press that he suffered from ataxia, a degenerative disease that involves poor muscle control, hindering his balance and ability