British comedian and actor Tim Brooke-Taylor has died at the age of 79 after contracting coronavirus.
In a statement, his agent confirmed the news: “It is with great sadness that we announce Tim’s death early today from COVID-19. Joining [Cambridge University] Footlights in 1960 took him to providing a huge variety of splendid entertainment — television, radio, theatre, film, books, DVDs, CDs, quizzes, etc — all of which he undertook with energy and a great sense of fun.”
Brooke-Taylor is perhaps best known as a member of UK comedy trio The Goodies with Graeme Garden and Bill Oddie. They had a BBC television show which ran for more than a decade from 1970. He was also a regular panelist on BBC Radio 4’s I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue for more 40 years, often appearing alongside Garden.
In the later years of this career, Brooke-Taylor appeared in TV dramas including Doctors, Heartbeat, Marple, Crossroads and James Corden’s BBC sketch show Horne & Corden.
Garden said: “I am terribly saddened by the loss of a dear colleague and close friend of over 50 years. Tim and I met at Cambridge University in the early 1960s and have enjoyed working together almost constantly from that time onwards, on radio, stage, and TV.”
I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue host Jack Dee was among those to pay tribute to Brooke-Taylor on Twitter:
Stephen Fry said: “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.”
Rob Brydon said: “So sad to hear that the great Tim Brooke Taylor has died. A wonderful man, so many happy times sat next to him on I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue.”
Director Edgar Wright added: “I’m so so sad that a big comedy hero from my childhood, Tim Brooke-Taylor, has passed. Loved his energy & go for broke, try anything silliness. He made it seem like making people laugh was the best job in the world.”