British comedian Barry Cryer has died aged 86.
The comedian died on Tuesday afternoon (25 January) at Northwick Park Hospital in Harrow, according to a statement from his family.
He died “peacefully” and in “good spirits” surrounded by his family.
Cryder, the statement said, was “telling an Archbishop of Canterbury joke to a nurse not long before he died”.
Details of the funeral and memorial service will be posted on Cryer’s Twitter account.
The comic was a prolific writer whose long-running career saw him work with performers including Bruce Forsyth, Bob Hope, Spike Milligan, and The Two Ronnies.
He had appeared on the BBC Radio 4 show I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue since its inception in 1972.
READ MORE: Stephen Fry and Piers Morgan lead tributes to ‘giant of British comedy’
Cryer also wrote episodes for the TV comedy Doctor in the House, which starred Barry Evans and Simon Cuff. The series ran for two seasons from 1969 to 1970.
In 2001, he was made an OBE and later received a lifetime achievement award in 2018 for his comedy career from the British Music Hall Society.
The Leeds-born comedian began his career at London’s Windmill Theatre.
He then became a regular collaborator with David Frost, writing for The Frost Report from 1966 to 1967. The position established Cryer as a standout writer.
Throughout the Seventies, the comedian regularly wrote with John Junkin. The duo wrote two Christmas specials for The Morecambe and Wise Show in 1972 and 1976.
He also hosted the ITV comedy panel show Jokers Wild, which ran from 1969 to 1974.
Cryer’s rendition of Sheb Wooley’s 1958 hit song “Purple People Eater” reached No 1 in the Finnish charts, after contractural reasons prevented Wooley’s original from being released in Scandinavia.
Earlier this month, the comedian launched a podcast with his son, titled Now, Where Were We?
Cryer married his wife Theresa – known as Terry – in 1962 and is survived by his four children: Tony, Dave, Bob and Jack.
Tributes have poured in for the beloved comedian, writer and actor.
Stephen Fry, Piers Morgan, Jon Holmes and Richard Herring are among the stars to pay tribute to Cryer on social media following news of his death.
“Such sad news, one of the absolute greats of comedy, Barry Cryer, is no more,” wrote Fry on Twitter.
“A glorious, gorgeous, hilarious and gifted writer and performer who straddled all the comic traditions. Universally beloved... Baz.”
