Comedian Jimmy Cricket, the beloved Northern Irish entertainer known for his catchphrase "And there's more!" and his trademark stage outfit of tailcoat, short trousers and mismatched wellington boots, has died at the age of 80.
His family announced that Cricket, born James Joseph Mulgrew in Cookstown, County Tyrone, passed away on Monday, August 3, 2026, following a short illness. They said he spent his final days surrounded by his family.
"Our beloved Jimmy passed away this morning after a short illness. He spent his last few days surrounded by his family, love, laughter and songs," the family said in a statement shared on Facebook.
Cricket rose to prominence in the 1980s with his clean, family-friendly comedy and became widely recognised for his signature line, "And there's more!", which also became the title of his ITV television series. His distinctive on-stage appearance featured a tailcoat, short trousers and wellington boots marked "L" and "R" on the wrong feet.
From Butlin's Redcoat to TV star
Cricket left school at 16 and began his entertainment career as a Butlin's Redcoat before working the northern comedy circuit throughout the 1970s. His breakthrough came in 1980 when he reached the semi-finals of the television talent show Search for a Star.
During the 1980s, he became a familiar face on British television, appearing on programmes including The Krankies Klub and the BBC's The Good Old Days. In 1987, he was featured on This Is Your Life. By the mid-1990s, he had moved into radio, fronting four series of BBC Radio 2's Jimmy's Cricket Team.
Family remembers a devoted husband and father
Paying tribute, Cricket's family described him as a loving family man whose greatest joy was his wife, children and grandchildren.
"Jimmy brought so much laughter and happiness to countless audiences throughout his career... But that was nothing compared to the happiness he gave to his family. A devoted husband to May for 52 years. A wonderful dad to his four children and a very silly grandad indeed to his four grandchildren."
They added: "Forever our clown, he was cracking jokes to the wonderful NHS staff and to us all right until the end."
Cricket married May Tweedie in 1972, and the couple had four children.
Charity work earned papal knighthood
Beyond comedy, Cricket was widely recognised for his charitable work. He appeared in the 2007 Comic Relief video for I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) alongside Peter Kay and Matt Lucas and regularly organised fundraising tours for Francis House Children's Hospice in Manchester.
His charitable contributions were recognised in 2015, when he was awarded a papal knighthood, one of the Roman Catholic Church's highest honours.
Born in 1945 in Cookstown, County Tyrone, Jimmy Cricket enjoyed a career spanning several decades and remained one of Britain's best-known family entertainers. His family said he had been a "force for joy" whose passing leaves the world "a far less sillier place today."
