Ray Brooks, the British actor best known for narrating the classic children's series Mr Benn and appearing in EastEnders and Coronation Street, left a £1.5 million estate to his two surviving sons, according to the Grant of Probate released on Tuesday. Brooks died on August 9 last year at age 86 after a short illness, with his will dated May 5, 2012, naming his wife Sadie and sons William and Thomas as executors. The probate document, dated June 4, confirms the net estate value of £1,571,855 after deductions will pass to his sons.

The £1.57 Million Fortune and the 2012 Will

The gross value of Brooks' estate stood at £1,583,531, which after deductions left a net sum of £1,571,855, according to the probate filing. His will, written on May 5, 2012, appointed his wife and sons as executors and trustees. At the time of his death, Brooks resided at a care home in Twickenham. The document does not specify whether any charitable bequests were made, and the source leaves unanswered how the estate was managed after the deaths of his wife and daughter. the 11-year gap between the will and his death raises questions about whether he updated it as family circumstances changed.

A Decade of Loss: Wife and Daughter Predeceased the Star

Brooks' wife Sadie, whom he married in 1963, passed away in 2021, and the couple's daughter Emma died in 2023, according to the BBC statement issued by his sons.. The actor's sons William and Thomas are the sole surviving beneficiaries. The consecutive losses of his wife and daughter in the years before his own death meant that by the time Brooks died, only his sons remained from his immediate family. The source does not detail how the estate was administered after Sadie , who was originally named as an executor, passed away. Probate documents confirm the administration of the estate passed to his sons.

From Mr Benn to EastEnders: A Career Spanning Five Decades

Brooks became one of the few actors to appear in both major British soaps: he first played Norman Phillips on Coronation Street in 1964, and nearly fifty years later joined EastEnders as Joe Macer in 2005, as reported by the BBC. His final EastEnders appearance in January 2007 saw his character confess to murdering his wife and then fall from a window. Beyond soaps, Brooks starred in the 1980s drama Big Deal as gambler Robbie Box and appeared in the groundbreaking 1960s BBC drama Cathy Come Home. His film credits included The Knack… and How to Get It and The World of Eddie Weary.

Why 13 Episodes of Mr Benn Defined a Generation

Despite his extensive soap and drama work, Brooks was prehaps most famous for narrating Mr Benn, the 1970s children's show of which only 13 episodes were ever made. According to his sons, the episodes were repeated twice a year for 21 years, cementing the catchphrase 'as if by magic' in British popular culture. In an interview with Sussex Life, Brooks humbly said: 'I don't think I was ever that good an actor.. I was more an image of a young man.' The source notes that people often asked him to say the catchphrase, and his sons emphasized that their father regarded the role as his most recognized. The enduring popularity of those 13 episodes—still beloved by generations—far outlasted any single soap storyline.

The source leaves open how the estate will be used by his sons and whether any portion will go toward preserving his legacy. What is clear is that Brooks, who described himself as 'not a fan of the limelight,' left a quiet but substantial financial legacy alongside his rich cultural one.