Passed away aged 86.
Comedy genius is an understatement. He was a unique talent and hundreds of other comedians owe him for their success
I feel a bit sad now.
86, btw. Not 96. Born in 1935.
BBC Radio 4 has lost so many of it's stable of long-time comedians recently.
I find some of the newer, younger ones just too political or just not funny (usually both).
Some are quite good. But often they're so potty mouthed. Phil Wang is very funny, but it gets tiring with his filler word of "shit". I don't mind the occasional swear - especially for emphasis - but when it's just noise? Meh. With the Task Master repeated on Sunday evening, they bleeped all the swearing. Did it reduce the entertainment value? No. Not a jot.
Others tend to be quite crude - or to use an old fashioned word, they're vulgar.
James Acaster manages to be weirdly funny without swearing much or being vulgar. But I've always likes surreal comedy.