Editing Richard Briers (section)

==Personal life==
Briers met [[Ann Davies (actress)|Ann Davies]] while both were at Liverpool Rep. Davies was employed as a stage manager, and had acted on television and in films from the mid-1950s. Soon after meeting, he borrowed £5 from his mother, bought an engagement ring and they were married within six months.<ref name="The Good Life"/> They had two daughters, one of whom, [[Lucy Briers|Lucy]], is also an actress.<ref name="Coveney"/><ref name="Dowell">{{cite news|url= https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2013/feb/18/richard-briers-good-life-dies|title= The Good Life's Richard Briers dies at 79|date=18 February 2013|work= Guardian UK|first =Ben|last=Dowell|access-date=18 February 2013 }}</ref><ref name="Paton">{{cite news|author=Paton, Maureen|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/10422484/Lucy-Briers-Emphysema-robbed-my-father-of-his-laughter.html|title=Lucy Briers: 'Emphysema robbed my father of his laughter'|work= The Daily Telegraph|date= 2 November 2013|access-date = 2 July 2022}}</ref>

Briers and his friend [[Paul Eddington]] shared a similar sense of humour, and knew each other before being cast in ''The Good Life''. After Eddington was diagnosed with [[skin cancer]], Briers accepted a role opposite him in [[David Storey]]'s play ''[[Home (Storey play)|Home]]'' in 1994, agreeing to take on all of the publicity interviews to allow Eddington time for his treatment. At Eddington's memorial service, Briers read both from ''[[Cymbeline]]'' and Wodehouse; he later read chapters from Eddington's autobiography on [[BBC Radio 4]].<ref name=Indp1313648>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/how-we-met-patricia-eddington-and-richard-briers-1313648.html |title=How We Met; Patricia Eddington and Richard Briers |work=The Independent |location=London |date=8 December 1996 |access-date=18 February 2013}}</ref>

In 2014, BBC Radio 4 broadcast ''Memories of a Cad'', an affectionate comedy drama by [[Roy Smiles]] about the relationship between [[Terry-Thomas]] and Briers, played by [[Martin Jarvis (actor)|Martin Jarvis]] and [[Alistair McGowan]] respectively. Set in 1984 when he had suffered from [[Parkinson's disease]] for many years, Terry-Thomas is delighted by the visit to his home in Ibiza of the much younger Briers, whom he recognises from television, and who proves to be his first cousin once removed. Briers cheers him up by recalling the career the film-star has long forgotten.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04vkjsm ''Afternoon Drama: Memories of a Cad'']. ''BBC Radio 4'', 30 December 2014.</ref> It was re-broadcast in 2016.

As a result of Terry-Thomas's Parkinson's, Briers became President of [[Parkinson's UK]].<ref>Parkinson's annual report 2003</ref> He also helped to launch a [[Sense, The National Deafblind and Rubella Association]] campaign. Briers was also a non-medical patron of the TOFS ([[Tracheoesophageal fistula|Tracheo-Oesophageal Fistula]] Support) charity, which supports children and the families of children born unable to swallow.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.tofs.org.uk/index.php/about_tofs/patrons| publisher = Tracheo-Oesophageal Fistula Support | access-date = 18 February 2013 | title = Patrons }}</ref>

Interviewed by ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' in 2008, Briers admitted that, while on holiday, he enjoyed being recognised, saying, "I'm gregarious by nature, so I love chatting to people. It really cheers me up."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/hubs/heavenandhell/3524751/Richard-Brierss-heaven-and-hell.html |title=Richard Briers's heaven and hell |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |access-date=19 February 2013 |date=26 November 2008}}</ref>

Briers was a keen visitor of Britain's historic churches, and visited over one hundred for his book ''English Country Churches'', which was published in 1988. From his national service in the RAF, he was a supporter for a national memorial for [[RAF Bomber Command]].<ref name=ITVRAF>{{cite news |url=http://www.itv.com/news/meridian/update/2013-02-18/poignant-interview-with-richard-briers-supporter-of-bomber-command/ |title=Poignant interview with Richard Briers, supporter of Bomber Command |work=[[ITV.com]] |access-date=18 February 2013}}</ref>

Briers was appointed [[Order of the British Empire|OBE]] in 1989, and CBE in 2003.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/2988170.stm|title=Richard Briers' classic | work=BBC News | date=13 June 2003}}</ref>