It was announced this afternoon that comedian and actor Rik Mayall has died aged 56.  The Metropolitan Police were called to reports of a sudden death of a man in his fifties at 13:19 BST on Monday, in Barnes in south west London.

Mayall played a pivotal role in the early 1980s alternative comedy scene. He was part of the original group of comedians who appeared at the Comedy Store and later on television in the Young Ones and the Comic Strip films.

He was most famous as self-styled Cliff Richard-loving people’s poet Rick. He was also famous as Midlands wannabe reporter Kevin Turvey and later co-starred with his long-time friend Ade Edmondson in Bottom. His lengthy career took in films, the stage and he also appeared in hit sitcoms including Blackadder and The New Statesman.

More recently he appeared as the eccentric father of Greg Davies - who many compared to Mayall – in the C4 sitcom Man Down. 

Here is a feature I wrote about Mayall in 2003. 

Full obituary here.