In between this, Tony also had a number of other jobs including working as a van driver, labourer and fitter of artificial limbs.
This led to him playing Hamlet and Romeo on the campus and in a two-month tour of the United States arranged by the school.
On TV, he made major appearances as Corporal Ernest Bright in six episodes of The Regiment (1973) and Sammy Fenwick in the television miniseries The Stars Look Down (1975).
He guested in various television shows including ITV Playhouse, Thriller (1 episode, 1974), When the Boat Comes In, Amyand in the Doctor Who serial "Planet of Fire" (1984)[3] and Malcolm Hallwood in Auf Wiedersehen, Pet (1986).
Bate's final screen role was as Stonker in one episode of Spender opposite Jimmy Nail.