Tributes have been paid to comedian Tim Brooke-Taylor, who death has been announced.

He was 79 and reports say he had contracted the coronavirus.

Monty Python star John Cleese, who worked with Brooke-Taylor in their early TV days, tweeted: "Just woke up in LA to hear about Tim B-T How awful.. I'll post later when I've had a chance to absorb this sad news. Tim was one of my very oldest friends, and one that I used to love performing with. He did 'frightened' better than anyone..."

Eric Idle wrote that Brooke-Taylor helped him when he was starting out: "I'm very saddened to hear of the loss of our old friend and fellow Pembroke alum Tim Brooke-Taylor. He and Bill Oddie auditioned me for the Pembroke Smoker in 1963, starting my career. I always thought him a wonderful man, funny, kind and generous. Merde. This fucking virus."

Graeme Garden said: "He was a funny, sociable, generous man who was a delight to work with. Audiences found him not only hilarious but also adorable. His loss at this dreadful time is particularly hard to bear, and my thoughts are with Christine, Ben, Edward and their families."

And fellow Goodie Bill Oddie posted the following on social media: "Fifty years and he only got cross with me once... well maybe twice... no quite a lot actually! No one could wear silly costumes or do dangerous stunts like Tim. I know it hurt cos he used to cry a lot. Sorry Timbo. A true visual comic and a great friend x."

Comedian David Mitchell tweeted: "This is terribly sad news. He was a wonderful comedian and a really lovely man and I feel honoured to have known and worked with him. The world has been robbed - he had years more joy to give."

Stephe Fry tweeted: "ust heard the devastating news of the death of Tim Brooke-Taylor. A hero for as long as I can remember, and –on a few golden occasions – a colleague and collaborator on I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue. Gentle, kind, funny, wise, warm, but piercingly witty when he chose to be. So sad"

Rory Bremner tweeted: "So sad that lovely - and much loved- Tim Brooke-Taylor has died. Always a Goodie, his modesty belied a huge legacy in British comedy- in show after show from Cambridge days on, from I’m Sorry I’ll Read That Again to Clue. His huge list of credits (many with the great @JohnCleese) is testament to his humour, his ability and timing, his kindness & dependability- a true team player- and a funny, lovely man to boot.  queued as a schoolboy in Edinburgh to get my Goodies Album signed, and can’t believe 40 odd years later we were doing Clue together in January. Big theatres, huge laughs, such joy & affection for Tim. He was an absolute delight."

Shappi Khorsandi tweeted: "Oh I’m very sad to hear Tim Brooke Taylor has died. A big part of nurturing my love of comedy as a kid. I had the gloriously good fortune of meeting him at the Slapstick festival in Bristol. Such a lovely and very funny man."

Writer of Sky's The Breeders Simon Blackwell tweeted: "Heartbreaking news about Tim Brooke-Taylor. Filled so many people's childhoods with massive laughs, and then kept doing so for decades afterwards. Condolences to his family and friends."

Singer Alison Moyet tweeted: "#Goodies Eccentric exuberance and wild innocent energy. To our young generation they were Adrenalin. Tim Brooke-Taylor never waned. Never disappointed. Such sad and bitter news is this."

Comedian Robin Ince tweeted: "Very sad to hear that Tim Brooke Taylor has died. A lovely man. A funny man. His work made growing up easier and gave us something to look forward to every week. Repeats of I'm Sorry I'll Read that Again were my introduction to radio comedy."

Actor Paterson Joseph tweeted: "So much laughter. So much silliness. RIP Tim Brooke-Taylor."

News: Tim Brooke-Taylor Dies aged 79.

Pictured with fellow Goodies Graeme Garden and Bill Oddie at the Bristol Slapstick Festival. Picture by David Betteridge.