a verdict and the judge ordered a retrial. The strain became too much and Dudley suffered a stroke, losing much of the use of his left side, and briefly his speech. The retrial was postponed but the case kept open. Dudley spent time in physiotherapy but wanted to continue to act in Coronation Street, so a storyline of Bert being injured in a compressor explosion in Brian's garage was devised. Although his disabilities were largely hidden, it was clear the actor was unwell. Dudley was then written out of the show in mid 1983 so that he could prepare for his pending retrial, but before the second trial was heard, he suffered two heart attacks and a further stroke. He died on 20 October 1983 in Salford Royal Hospital, at the age of 48. He was cremated at Blackley Crematorium, Manchester on 25 October 1983. References corrie.net External links 1935 births 1983 deaths English male soap opera actors Male actors from Manchester English gay actors 20th-century English male actors 20th-century LGBT people