If you watched the BBC sci-fi cult classic Blake’s 7, you know how Roj Blake led the rebel crew of his Liberator spacecraft against the tyrannical intergalactic federation.

It is with a heavy heart we report the passing of Roj Blake’s actor, Gareth Thomas. As well as being a sci-fi cult classic icon, he starred in several Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) productions. Some of his more iconic RSC roles included Orsino (Twelfth Night), Cassio (Othello), and Mat Burke (Eugene O’Neill’s Anna Christie).

According to the BBC, a fan site reported Thomas died of heart failure on Wednesday and the news was later confirmed by a fellow Blake’s 7 cast member and friend by Press Association.

“Our thoughts are with his wife Linda, and his family and friends.”

Gareth Thomas played my dad in #Rutherford&Son @salisburyplay our characters hated each other but he was a lovely actor and a lovely man RIP

— Ruth Mitchell (@ruthresearch) April 14, 2016

Och. Miserable. Adored Gareth Thomas. This dying lark has to stop. https://t.co/0svZKg3ucE

— Muriel Gray (@ArtyBagger) April 14, 2016

He also appeared on television as Nathaniel Cleggorn (ITV’s Heartbeat) and David Baddiel’s father (Sky’s Baddiel’s Syndrome).

However, Thomas will always be best known for his role as Roj Blake. He was dedicated to the show, which ran from 1978 to 1981, although he reportedly never watched a minute of it.

When the show filmed its final episode, all of the characters were “apparently” killed off.

Other colleagues and fans from Thomas’ various projects have taken to Twitter to mourn his passing. His agent, Michael Hallet, said Thomas was”a wonderful and very powerful actor” whose “fantastic career” had seen him play “a huge range of brilliant and diverse roles.”

Our hearts and prayers go out to his friends and family.