Peter Llewellyn-Jones, a prominent British sign language interpreter, educator, actor, and writer who played a key role in establishing sign language interpreting as a recognized profession in the UK, passed away on August 18, 2026, at the age of 76.

Born on February 26, 1950, in Wealdstone, Middlesex, Llewellyn-Jones dedicated much of his life to advancing accessibility and opportunities for deaf individuals. After leaving school at 16, he trained as a missioner and welfare worker for the deaf, qualifying in 1972. His early career included work with the St Albans Diocesan Association for the Deaf, the British Deaf Association, and Tyne Tees Television. Over time, he became instrumental in developing university-level curricula in British Sign Language (BSL) interpreting and linguistics. Notably, he created the UK’s first undergraduate course on interpreting at the University of Wolverhampton in 1992, and later served as a senior teaching fellow and director of the MA in interpreting and translation studies at the University of Leeds from 2003 to 2012.

Llewellyn-Jones was a pioneer in integrating sign language interpreting into British television and theater. His television work began in the early 1980s, including appearances on children’s programs such as the second series of "Insight" (1984), which he co-wrote and co-presented alongside Victoria Wood. He also played the character Mr Grimley in the children’s series "The Riddlers" from 1989 to 1998. He was among the first interpreters to appear as an on-screen element in British TV, contributing to programs like "See Hear!" in 1982 and the current affairs series "Listening Eye" (1983-88). From 1985 to 1994, he presented "Our World," a weekly educational series for primary schools, and interpreted news broadcasts on various ITV channels throughout the 1980s and 1990s.

In the theater, Llewellyn-Jones worked on approximately 600 professional productions, including with the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC). Between 1991 and 2000, he interpreted main house shows and tours alongside actors such as Vanessa Redgrave, Kenneth Branagh, and Ian McKellen, the latter of whom became an advocate for interpreted theater. In 2004, Llewellyn-Jones contributed a chapter on the topic to the book "Shakespeare and the Language of Translation."

Alongside American academic Robert G. Lee, he developed the influential “role-space” model of interpreting. This approach challenges the notion of the interpreter as a neutral conduit, asserting instead that interpreters actively occupy a three-dimensional space in interactions, shaping the communication process. Llewellyn-Jones argued that acknowledging the interpreter’s influence provides a more honest framework for the profession.

Throughout his career, he provided interpreting services to high-profile figures including King Charles (then Prince), Diana, Princess of Wales, Norman Tebbit, and Neil Kinnock, as well as in social services, business, health, and legal contexts. He was the founding chair of the Association of Sign Language Interpreters in 1987, receiving their outstanding contribution award in 2003, and served as president of the European Forum of Sign Language Interpreters from 2013 to 2015.

Outside of his professional life, Llewellyn-Jones was known for his early interests in high-board diving and motorcycle grass-track racing. In later years, he was an active motorcyclist, often riding across the Lincolnshire Wolds.

He is survived by his third wife, Jayne Clarke, four children from prior marriages—Rachel, Catherine, Thomas, and Joseph—and six grandchildren. His contributions have left a lasting impact on the field of sign language interpreting and opened new avenues for deaf accessibility in the UK.