Jeremy Beadle dead at 59
UK entertainer and star Jeremy Beadle has died of pneumonia, at age 59,
Both shows regularly pulled bumper audiences of 15 million viewers on Saturday evenings. And Beadle’s About, in which members of the public fell victim to practical jokes, threw up many classic scenes that have gone down in TV comedy history.
Jeremy conquered the glamorous world of telly despite having Poland syndrome, which left him with a stunted right hand.
Beadle’s long-standing manager, Michael Cohen, said: “Jeremy Beadle was a wonderful human being. He was my close friend and client for 25 years.
“Kind and humorous, with a great brain, he was a curator of oddities and his charity work was legendary. No-one has done more to raise money for good causes in the UK.
“He will be greatly missed by everyone.”
And his agent Nick Canham called him “one of ITV’s biggest ever stars” and added: “He will be greatly missed.”
He is believed to have raked in more than £100 MILLION for Children With Leukemia and a host of other good causes. And he was made an MBE seven years ago.
Jeremy, who shot to fame as co-host of 1980’s hidden camera show Game For A Laugh, was admitted to a North London hospital last week.
He slipped into a coma – and died with wife Sue, 60, and close friends at his bedside. He also leaves daughters Cassie, 21, and Bonnie, 19, and stepchildren Leo, 34, and Claire, 32.
Pal Sir Alan Sugar called Jeremy “one of the greatest comedy talents of our generation”. Children With Leukemia told how Jeremy’s support “knew no bounds”. The charity’s founder Eddie O’Gorman said: “We’re devastated.”
Countdown’s Carol Vorderman said: “He just loved all kinds of information. You could ask him about anything and he would know about it.”
Noel Edmonds, who for years shared a friendly Saturday night telly rivalry with Jeremy, said: “I’m so shocked – I didn’t realize he was so ill.” He added:
“I was astonished at his ability to raise funds for charity. Nobody in show business raised more money than him. This is a sad loss.”
Close pal Henry Kelly said: “Beadle was a genius – so inventive and so much fun. He was also at times a bloody nuisance, of course.”
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