Even though Porridge ended nearly 40 years ago, the beloved prison-set sitcom is still fondly remembered and repeated on TV stations like Gold.
The sitcom, which was set in the fictional HMP Slade, starred the likes of Ronnie Barker, Richard Beckinsale and Fulton Mackay. In the show, Richard played Leonard 'Lennie' Godber, the dim-witted cellmate of Norman 'Fletch' Fletcher (Barker), who is often involved in his schemes.
Richard sadly died at the age of 31, just two years after the show came to an end. The late actor passed away from a heart attack caused by coronary artery disease and was due to film an episode of Bloomers the day after he passed away.
Two years before his death, Richard married actress Judy Loe. The pair welcomed a daughter, Kate, four years before walking down the aisle, with their daughter going on to conquer Hollywood.
However, before meeting Judy, Richard had another daughter with his teenage sweetheart, Margaret Bradley. The pair, who were married between 1965 and 1971, welcomed a daughter, Samantha, who has also gone on to become an actress.
Scroll down for all you need to know about Richard's two famous daughters…
Samantha Beckinsale
Born on 23 July 1966, Samantha is Richard's eldest daughter. Her mother is Margaret Bradley, whom Richard met while folk singing in a Nottingham bar back in 1964. Richard and Margaret's relationship came to an end just two years after Samantha was born, with Margaret having sole custody of the youngster.
Due to this, Samantha didn't know that Richard was her father until she was 11, when he married Judy. Thankfully, the pair were able to reconnect, and they spent time together before Richard died when she was 13. Richard reportedly called Samantha on the eve of his death, making plans for the pair to see each other again the following weekend.
© Alamy Stock PhotoLike her father, Samantha became an actress, with her biggest role being as Kate Stevens in the ITV serial London's Burning. The star also has credits in the likes of Agatha Christie's Poirot, Heartbeat, Time After Time, Holby City and Katherine of Alexandria.
The actress also wrote and produced docudrama Love?, which examines coercive control in relationships. In 2022, she came forward as a survivor of domestic abuse. Speaking about her experiences to The Guardian that year, she said: "It begins with love-bombing and then it quickly progresses to the point where you find yourself itemising everything that you buy in the supermarket. You are told: 'If you loved me, you wouldn't be taking that job or seeing those friends'.
© Alamy Stock Photo"I didn't have to be hit, I was so well trained. You are destroyed on every level. They push a wholly false narrative to the point that you don't know which way is up. You may still be walking and talking, but the person you were has been annihilated."
Kate Beckinsale
Richard's youngest daughter, Kate, was born on 26 July 1973, and he shared the star with wife Judy Loe. Kate was just five when Richard passed away, and on the night of his death, he took her to visit mum Judy in hospital before dropping her off with some relatives.
Kate has gone on to establish herself as a Hollywood icon, with major roles in the Underworld franchise, as well as appearing in the likes of Pearl Harbor, Serendipity, Van Helsing, Total Recall and Jolt.
© Alamy Stock PhotoThe actress has paid tribute to her late father on several occasions. Back in 2021, on the anniversary of his death, she posted a clip of a newspaper that reported his death and wrote: "March 19th, 1979. And we were never the same again. Thank you to everyone who has kept him alive in our hearts and on our lips. And love to everyone missing a shining, special person of their own. I wish I was with my mum today."
Speaking on Larry King Now in 2019 about the passing of her father, Kate said: "He was an incredibly talented actor, and straight actor."
© Getty ImagesDespite Richard dying when Kate was five, she explained that because of the constant repeats of his shows, she still viewed him as a "current figure" in her life.
