David Burke: Actor known for role as Dr Watson in Sherlock Holmes series dies aged 91

Rosie SheadSat, May 16, 2026 at 6:34 AM UTC

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Jeremy Brett and David Burke (right) star in the television series 'The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes' in 1984 (Getty)

Acclaimed actor David Burke, known for his portrayal as Dr Watson in a Sherlock Holmes television adaptation, has died aged 91.

On Friday, his agent Scott Marshall Partners announced the actor had died on May 10, survived by wife Anna Calder-Marshall and son Tom Burke.

Burke, who trained at drama school Rada, went on to have a career spanning stage, television, and radio.

He starred in a theatrical production of King Lear at the National Theatre with Lord Of The Rings star Ian Holm, appeared on the television series Midsomer Murders and with Felicity Kendal in The Woodlanders.

In the 1980s television series The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, he starred as the detective’s sidekick Dr Watson opposite Jeremy Brett in the title role.

His son Tom is also an actor, known for roles in the BBC show The Musketeers and for his portrayal of Cormoran Strike in the series Strike.

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David Burke and his wife Anna Calder-Marshall (PA)

Tom starred alongside Steve Coogan in Netflix show Legends which premiered on the streaming service earlier this month.

According to The Times newspaper, David declined to appear in a second series of The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes as he felt “terribly guilty” about leaving his wife and son when filming in Manchester.

Tom told the paper he felt “guilty” when he got older, thinking his father had “given up this brilliant opportunity” for him.

When he asked his father about it, David said: “It was my decision. I didn’t just want to work; I also wanted to be your dad.

“On top of that, I was getting bored of saying, ‘Good heavens, Holmes.’”

David’s wife, actor Calder-Marshall, has appeared in television series Grantchester, This England and Netflix show Bodies.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”