Comedian Barry Cryer has died at the age of 86, with Piers Morgan among the first to pay tribute to the “talented man”.
The Leeds-born star has written for a number of huge names, including Sir Bruce Forsyth, Tommy Cooper, The Two Ronnies, and Morecambe and Wise.
He also wrote episodes for the television comedy show Doctor in the House, which ran from 1969 to 1970.
Former Good Morning Britain host Piers Morgan was among the first to pay tribute, as he wrote on Twitter: “RIP Barry Cryer, 86. Such a warm, funny and talented man. A giant of British comedy. Thanks for all the laughs, Barry.”
(Image: Daily Mirror)
Stephen Fry said: “Such sad news, one of the absolute greats of British comedy, Barry Cryer, is no more.
“A glorious, gorgeous, hilarious and gifted writer and performer who straddled all the comic traditions. Universally beloved … farewell, Baz.”
And Celebrity Gogglebox star Gyles Brandreth tweeted: “RIP Barry Cryer. Here we are only a few weeks ago. Baz was just the loveliest guy: funny and generous. He’d worked with everybody and everybody he worked with liked him. I shall miss his happy company so much – and his regular phone calls: he gave you a gem of a joke with each one.”
Throughout his career, Barry worked with some of the titans of comedy, writing some of The Morecambe and Wise Show alongside his regular partner John Junkin.
(Image: Getty Images)
From 1969 to 1974, Barry hosted the ITV comedy panel game show Jokers Wild and then had a role in the 1978 spoof documentary All You Need Is Cash, which was about the Beatles parody band the Rutles.
Barry released a number of books over the years, including his autobiography – You Won’t Believe This But… – and a book of miscellaneous anecdotes, called Pigs Can Fly.
And he was even the subject of This Is Your Life in a 1995 episode, when Michael Aspel surprised him at Thames Television’s Teddington Studios.
(Image: UK Press via Getty Images)
In more recent years, Barry received an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters from the University of Leeds.
And his show Comedy Legends with Barry Cryer started airing on Sky Arts in 2018, which paid tribute to the biggest names in comedy.
Barry had been married to his wife Theresa, known as Terry, since 1962.
The couple had four children – three sons, Tony, Dave and Bob, and daughter Jack – as well as seven grandchildren and, as of 2017, one great-grandchild.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
