Barry Cryer, the much loved British comedian and TV writer, has died at the age of 86, Deadline reports.
Barry Cryer was most known on UK shores for being a founding member and consistent panellist on long-running BBC Radio 4 surreal comedy show I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue, first appearing when it launched in April 1972 (and briefly sharing hosting duties before Humphrey Lyttelton took that on full time), and last making a guest appearance in 2020.
Outside of Radio, Barry Cryer was a noted writer for comedians, with the wide roster of performers he penned material for including the Two Ronnies, Morecame and Wise, Spike Milligan, Richard Pryor, Bob Hope, Bruce Forsyth and Rory Bremner.
He also wrote episodes for TV comedy series Doctor In The House, and wrote and appeared in further TV work.
Cryer married his wife Theresa in 1962 and the pair had four children and seven grandchildren.
His family has paid tribute, saying in a statement: ‘It is our sad duty to inform you that our dear dad Barry (or Baz to his mates) died on Tuesday afternoon (25th January 2022) at Northwick Park Hospital, in Harrow.
‘However, we’re pleased to say that he died peacefully, in good spirits and with his family around him. He was 86.
‘Dad was a talented comedy writer and comedian in a particularly golden vintage. Incidentally he never really liked the terms ‘comedy writer’ or ‘comedian’ instead preferring hack and entertainer, and always thought the term ‘national treasure’ meant he’d just been dug up. He was, in his words, arrogant in his humility.
‘He had a gift for friendship (as anyone who still has a landline will testify) and a genius for putting people at their ease. Oh yes, and he made many people laugh. A lot. Over many years.
‘Baz was, firstly, a loving husband to Terry for nearly sixty years and a gentle father to Tony, David, Jack, Bob. He was a friend to their partners Jayne, Matt, Garry and Suzannah. As a grandfather Ruby, Tom, Evan, Archie, Hope, Martha and Connie all loved him and more recently, Ruby’s daughter, Isobel, had the good fortune to spend time with him as a great grandfather.’
The statement from Cryer’s family continued: ‘Never lose touch with silly, he said, quoting his idol Humphrey Lyttelton – something we’ve all been very grateful for in the last few days.’
It also thanked doctors, nurses and consultants who had cared for their father.
‘It’ll be of no surprise to those that knew and worked with him that he was telling an Archbishop of Canterbury joke to a nurse not long before he died,’ the statement added.
‘That was one of his gifts, making strangers feel welcome. Making them laugh.’
Tributes this morning for Cryer came from people including Giles Brandreth, Richard Herring, Stephen Fry, Mark Gatiss, David Baddiel, and Neil Gaiman.