'Jewel in the Crown,' 'King Charles III' star Tim Pigott-Smith dead at 70

April 7 (UPI) -- British actor Tim Pigott-Smith has died at the age of 70, his agent John Grant said Friday.

The BBC reported the actor and his wife, Pamela Miles, were due to star in a touring production of Arthur Miller's play Death of a Salesman, with opening night scheduled for Northampton on Monday, however Miles dropped out of the production earlier this week because she broke a bone during rehearsals and needs surgery to repair it.

The cause of Pigott-Smith's death was not immediately disclosed.

"It is with deep regret that I have to announce the sad news that Tim Pigott-Smith died this morning," Grant said in a statement.

"Much-loved and admired by his peers, he will be remembered by many as a gentleman and a true friend. He will be much missed. We ask that you respect the privacy of his wife, the actress Pamela Miles, his son Tom and the family."

Rebecca Eaton, executive producer of Masterpiece, the PBS programming banner under which much of Pigott-Smith's was broadcast in the United States, said she was saddened to hear of the popular actor's death.

"The Masterpiece family is heartbroken at the loss of Tim Pigott-Smith, a wonderful actor and a warm and charming man," Eaton said in a statement posted on Facebook. "Tim has been a dear friend of Masterpiece since he burst on the scene in The Jewel in the Crown, and our audience will remember him in Downton Abbey, Foyle's War, and many other shows. Later this year, Masterpiece will have the privilege of presenting Tim in another brilliant performance: the title role of King Charles III. We are going to miss him."