Former Dynasty star dies

Actor Christopher Cazenove died after a "valiant battle" with septicaemia, his family has said.

The British actor was best known for his role as Ben Carrington in the glamorous 1980s soap opera Dynasty.

Cazenove, 64, was taken to St Thomas's Hospital in London, after he was taken ill at his London home. The actor, who was born in Winchester, Hampshire, first found fame as Charlie Tyrrell in the 1970s mini-series The Duchess of Duke Street.

The Old Etonian went on to play The Baron in the television adaptation of Jeffrey Archer's novel Kane and Abel and Captain Preston in the Second World War drama Jenny's War, both released in 1985.

But it was his short time as Ben Carrington in Dynasty which made him a household name. He also played John Thatcher, the father of the late Heath Ledger's character William Thatcher, in the 2001 film A Knight's Tale.

Although he was best known for his television work, Cazenove also worked extensively on the stage and in radio.

Septicaemia is a bacterial infection of the blood, commonly known as blood poisoning.