David Graham, the distinguished actor who lent his voice to characters in iconic television shows including Doctor Who, Peppa Pig, and Thunderbirds, has passed away at the age of 99.

Born in London in 1925, Graham initially served in the Royal Air Force as a radar mechanic before pursuing a career in acting. He trained at the Neighbourhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York, where he honed his craft.

One of Graham’s first significant roles was in the debut series of Doctor Who, where he appeared in the first two episodes. However, he is perhaps best remembered for voicing the menacing Daleks during the 1960s and 1970s, becoming the sinister sound behind one of the most feared villains in British television history.

Graham also gained fame as the voice of Aloysius Parker, the butler and chauffeur in the 1960s TV series Thunderbirds and its subsequent film adaptations. In addition to voicing Parker, he portrayed the characters of Gordon Tracy, the pilot, and Brains, the engineer, in the original series from 1965 to 1966.

In later years, Graham became well known to a new generation as the voice of Grandpa Pig in the beloved children's programme Peppa Pig.

In a 2015 interview with The Mirror, Graham reflected on how he and fellow voice actor Peter Hawkins created the chilling voice of the Daleks. "We adopted this staccato style, then they fed it through a synthesiser to make it more sinister," he explained, recalling how the unique sound terrified viewers of the long-running sci-fi series.

Graham reprised his role as Parker for ITV’s 2015 remake of Thunderbirds, Thunderbirds Are Go!, where he was the only original cast member to return. At the time, he expressed his delight, saying: "I am triple chuffed to be on board the new series… and reprising my role of dear old Parker with such a distinguished cast. My driving skills are in good nick, and I am delighted to be behind the wheel again with m’lady,” referring to Lady Penelope, portrayed by Rosamund Pike in the reboot.

The BBC announced the actor's death, although further details have not been released.

Graham revealed in the same interview that he had always harboured ambitions of becoming an actor from a young age. "At school, I always wanted to recite the poem or read the story. I always wanted to act," he said.

His aspirations were put on hold during the Second World War, during which time he worked as a radar mechanic. Following the war, Graham briefly took up work as an office clerk before joining his sister and her American GI husband in New York, where he studied acting at a theatre school.

Upon his return to the UK, Graham worked in repertory theatre before securing a role in the first series of Doctor Who. He later became a member of Laurence Olivier’s company at the National Theatre.

In addition to his extensive work in Doctor Who and Thunderbirds, Graham also provided the voices of Wise Old Elf and Mr Gnome in Ben & Holly’s Little Kingdom, a children’s programme that aired on Channel 5.

His acting credits also included appearances in popular British television shows such as Coronation Street, The Bill, Doctors, and Casualty.