Frank Skinner was unable to hold back tears as he paid tribute to his former co-host Gareth Richards live on air.
Comedian Richards, who appeared alongside Skinner on his Absolute Radio show from 2009 to 2011, died on Friday (7 April), 11 days after he was involved in a serious car collision.
Skinner grew emotional as he spoke about Richards’ accident on his Absolute Radio show last week and, returning to the airwaves on Sunday (9 April) morning, shared the sad update about “our former colleague and dear friend”.
Speaking slowly, Skinner said: “There’s been lots of beautiful messages about Gareth and his family have been very kind to us and kept us informed about the details of his struggle. But look, um, Gareth didn’t make it. Gareth didn’t make it and we will miss him intensely.
“He was a very kind, gentle, funny, fascinating man and I can’t believe that he-” the comedian said, before pausing to gather himself.
“Today’s show features Gareth’s best bits. You’re allowed to cry, but you have to laugh as well. I think he would have insisted on that.”
Richards and Skinner became close friends while working on Absolute Radio together, with Richards supporting Skinner on tour in 2014 and 2020.
Following news of Richards’ death, other figures from the comedy world shared their memories of their fellow comic.
Joe Lycett shared a poignant message about Richards, explaining that they’d shared a venue at the Edinburgh Fringe when he first started out and had reconnected in recent years.
“We gigged together on and off over the last decade and reconnected more actively in the last couple of years, and I felt like he was getting to a happy and more honest place with who he was. He’d been very brave,” Lycett wrote.
“I’m absolutely gutted about his death and am so sad for his family. His last WhatsApp message to me contains, amongst other things, the words ‘love you’. I didn’t say it back then and I should have: love you too, G.”
