RIP Rik Mayall

[bash]

What? Noooo!

Legend

[noobish hat]

Of all the people who have died recently, Rik really is a shock. Like others, I grew up with all his classic shows and Drop Dead Fred, The Princess and the Goblin, Guesthouse Paradiso, Jonathan Creek etc. Can't believe nobody's mentioned his narration in Hogs of War or his Nintendo adverts though. He could make me laugh just with his facial expressions. What a legend. Will be sorely missed.

[VR46]

Sad news, New Statesmen was probably my favourite show of his.

[Souichirou-San]

He only had a bit part role to play in the Blackadder series yet whenever people talk about the show conversation always turns to his Flashheart character. Such an incredible on screen presence that will be remembered for many years to come.
RIP Rik Mayall.

[NeoDragoN]

He was one of my all time comedy heroes. I watched The young Ones, Bottom, Dangerous brothers and Filthy, Rich and Catflap constantly through my youth.

I was so shocked and saddened, i really wish they had done that last series of Bottom, really a shame Ade didn't want to do it.

RIP Rik, you were a legend and an icon.

[prinnysquad]

Heartbreaking news :-(

Bottom and The Young Ones were a staple diet of my teenage years. Such an expressive comic actor - he acted with his face and body as much as his voice. There was no-one like Rik Mayall.

[kryss]

The Young Ones is still better than everything since (sorry boys, was never a big fan of Bottom).
Sad day for comedy.

Let's have a clip from the Young Ones:

[prinnysquad]

I love this exchange:

CONSCIENCE: Rick. Rick! This is the voice of your conscience speaking.

RICK: Shut up. Shut up!

CONSCIENCE: Don't tell me to shut up, you spotty little bastard. I'm your conscience. You killed Neil, didn't you?

RICK: No! No! It wasn't me. It was, uh, Vyvyan and Mike, and I'm going to tell on them as well!

CONSCIENCE: They didn't bloody well do it. It was you!

RICK: Oh, God! Whose side are you on?

CONSCIENCE: Not bloody yours, matey!

RICK: Then get out of my head, poo-hole!

CONSCIENCE: Try and make me, farty breath!

VYVYAN: Rick, will you tell your conscience to keep its voice down?! I'm trying to get some sleep!

[Yakumo]

WTF! Rik Mayall, dead? At such a young age too. Anyone around in the 80's would know who Rik was. From the comic strip, the young ones and bottom to even telling stories on Jack-a-nory. He had so many characters from poor snivelling student to pompous sly PM Alan B'Stard in The New Statesman.

So sad to see a man who had given so much laughter to the people of the UK and even the world (maybe). I'm just glad I got to see Bottom live 1 and 2 in my life. I laughed so hard my jaw was sore.

EDIT.

Just read Adrian Edmondson's comment for the BBC. So funny, just like they were when together. Rik would have liked this comment.

Edmondson added: "There were times when Rik and I were writing together when we almost died laughing.

They were some of the most carefree stupid days I ever had, and I feel privileged to have shared them with him.

"And now he's died for real. Without me. Selfish bastard."

[dataDave]

This a shame. The most I've ever laughed was watching Bottom Live at Blackburn King George's hall back in 2001. My face was sore the next day even.

[EDDIE M0NS00N]

Looks like it was a possible heart attack or stroke/fit & possibly due to the injuries caused after that quad bike accident. Such a sad loss.

Pictures show him looking fine just 2 days ago. Out of him n Ade he never seemed to change. Ade grew up a little over the yrs but Rik remained the usual lovable rogue. Such a shock. I loved everything him n Ade did, & those of you who are familiar with Comic Strip Presents will know where i got my gamer tag from.
Such a shame we'll never get to see that new series of Bottom, the news of which was my highlight of 2013.

Still cut up about this. Didn't sleep much last night. So tragic still.

[Yakumo]

I was lucky enough to actually meet Rik in Liverpool. It was two nights after I had saw him do Bottom Live 2. I was covering the classical guy in HMV (yeah, I worked in HMV from 18 until I was 21) and who should walk in but Rik Mayall. I don't remember what he bought but I do remember he was such a regular guy. I was telling him how much I loved the show. He actually listened and asked what I liked most about it. Best of all he signed a Bottom VHS for me which I still have to this very day. I only spoke to him for a few minutes but it was one of those moments I'll never forget.

[QualityChimp]

That's a great story, Yakumo! I imagine him making mental notes "Ah, so you liked the head slammed in the fridge most? Duly noted".


---
This house will become a shrine, and punks and skins and rastas will all gather round and hold their hands in sorrow for their fallen leader. And all the grown-ups will say, "But why are the kids crying?" And the kids will say, "Haven't you heard? Rick is dead! The People's Poet is dead!
And then one particularly sensitive and articulate teenager will say, "Other kids, do you understand nothing? How can Rick be dead when we still have his poems?"

[Yakumo]

That's a great story, Yakumo! I imagine him making mental notes "Ah, so you liked the head slammed in the fridge most? Duly noted".

haha, yeah, I best he was. Still, it was great to see him face to face selling him classical music CDs. Not what you'd expect really.

[Nu-Eclipse]

British comedy will never, ever see his like again.