Sad news indeed Rik Mayall, star of the Young Ones and Blackadder, dies at 56 Monday 9 June 2014 Comedian and actor Rik Mayall died this morning at the age of 56, his management firm said. The star, who shot to fame playing Rick in The Young Ones, was 56 and his career included appearances in shows including Blackadder, Bottom and The New Statesman. He was left seriously ill after a quad bike accident in 1998 which left him in a coma for several days, but was working until recently. Speaking about the accident last year, Mayall said doctors had kept him alive on a life-support machine for five days and were about to turn it off when he began to show signs of life. He used to mark the occasion by exchanging presents with his wife and children and said the near-death experience changed his life. He said: "The main difference between now and before my accident is I'm just very glad to be alive. "Other people get moody in their forties and fifties - men get the male menopause. I missed the whole thing. I was just really happy." Mayall started on stage in a duo, The Dangerous Brothers, with long-time collaborator Adrian Edmondson after they met at Manchester University The pair, who appeared together in The Young Ones, reprised their original act in the anarchic comedy Bottom. Fellow comic Rory Bremner tweeted: "Oh no. Awful news about Rik Mayall- a fireball of creative comic energy and inspiration. Such brilliant raw talent."
Gutted - The Young Ones was fab and Lord Flasheart in Blackadder was hilarious. Such a talent and so young.
One last Huzzah for Rik!!! [video=youtube;K84fwlUpFZg]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K84fwlUpFZg[/video]
The Young Ones - one of the greatest comedy shows ever, with Rik as the main man. And who can forget him as Alan Ba'stard A great character and a real loss for the generation who saw him in his prime
Classic entertainment ........ [video=youtube;vcoWdrerLdU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcoWdrerLdU[/video]
Gutted and shocked to hear this news especially as someone of exactly the same generation. He and his contemporaries brought a new dimension and an edge to comedy. RIP Rick
Bottom is one of my favourite comedies ever and the impact the Young Ones had was incredible! Played a great part in Man Down recently too. RIP Rik and thanks for countless laughs. "Do you know Summer Holiday by Cliff? You hum it, I'll smash your face in"
There's a BBC thingymabob with lines from his characters here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-27772259 One of my favourites being: Alan B'Stard: You know the really great thing about a fudged coalition is that neither of us need to carry out a single promise of our election manifestos.
