The country lost one of its great comedians as Eric Sykes, the comedy actor and writer, died this morning at the age of 89.
“Eric Sykes, 89, star of TV, stage and films, died peacefully this morning after a short illness. His family were with him”, confirmed Norma Farnes, the manager. Eric has left behind his wife from 60-year-old married life, one son and three daughters.
Sir Bruce Forsyth paid his homage to the star saying he was “one of the greats of comedy in this country.” “Oh no! Eric Sykes gone? An adorable, brilliant, modest, hilarious, innovative and irreplaceable comic master. Farewell, dear, dear man,” wrote Stephen Fry in Twitter.
Sykes’ native was Oldham. He began his career writing radio material for the then noted comedians like Frankie Howerd, Tony Hancock and The Goon Show. In 1956, his own TV show, Dress Rehearsal, and then the 1960 follow-up Sykes and a…and the 1972 show Sykes earned the comedian fame.
In Sykes and a… and Sykes, the comedian hit the screen with his popular partnership with Hattie Jacques as a bumbling brother and long-suffering sister living at Sebastopol Terrace.
Other popular achievements of the veteran include The Plank, the controversial 1969 sitcom Curry and Chips alongside longtime writing partner Spike Milligan.
He appeared on the big screen in a series of supporting roles. Very recently he was seen in The Others, alongside Nicole Kidman, and as caretaker Frank Bryce in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
He also performed, receiving critical acclaim, in plays by Ray Cooney, Moliere and Alan Bennet. The comedian, who suffered from hearing loss as well as gradual eye failure, which left him almost deaf and blind, was made an OBE in 1986 before being elevated to a CBE in 2004. In 1992, Sykes was given the lifetime achievement honours from the Writers’ Guild and the British Comedy Awards.
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He was a great comedian..he will be missed