RIK Mayall’s devastated wife Barbara last night said she did not know what
killed him — but he may have had a fit.
Comic Rik, 56, developed epilepsy after suffering near-fatal head injuries in
1998 during a quad bike accident.
Barbara, speaking outside their home, said: “We don’t know yet what happened.
He had a strong heart so I don’t think it was a heart attack.
“But we just don’t know until the coroner’s report. Maybe he had a fit, maybe
it was his heart, we just don’t know.”
Make-up artist Barbara is thought to have found Young Ones star Rik. It was
believed she dialled 999 around midday.
A paramedic and an ambulance arrived at the house in Barnes, South West
London, soon afterwards — followed by police.
A tearful young man, believed to be 25-year-old son Sid, was later seen
answering the door. Two police cars were parked outside the semi-detached
house as officers spoke to his family, which also includes daughter Rosie,
27, and Bonnie, 18.
Rik’s body was taken from the house on a blanket-draped stretcher and driven
away in a coroner’s office ambulance at around 7pm.
Police sources said there were no obvious signs of drugs or suicide.
Friends said Rik, who also starred in Blackadder, Bottom and The New
Statesman, had never recovered his full health following his quad bike
accident. It left him in a coma for five days.
Laurence Marks, 65, who co-created political comedy The New Statesman, said
Rik’s memory became so bad he often did not recognise friends.
He said: “His death is a shock but I wasn’t surprised. I think since his quad
bike crash his health deteriorated.
“His brain was affected by the accident. He started to lose his long-term
memory.
“The director of The New Statesman moved into the same neighbourhood as him
and bumped into him one time and Rik had no idea who he was.”
Marks said Rik stopped drinking after his accident in an effort to improve his
health.
He added: “He was a heavy drinker beforehand. But he had to pack it in.”
Despite his health problems, Marks said Mayall still wanted to work. He said:
“We spoke quite a lot and he was often keen to get together and do something
new.
“He was always optimistic and full of ideas.”
Fellow comedians yesterday paid tribute to Rik.
Adrian Edmondson, his long-time friend and colleague, said: “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 b*****d.”
Shooting Stars’ Bob Mortimer said: “So sad. Funniest man of his
generation.”
Comic actress Helen Lederer said: “Rik Mayall, I loved you. Gutted.”
The Mighty Boosh’s Noel Fielding wrote: “Growing up there was no
one funnier. We will really miss you Rik Mayall you genius.”
Trainspotting writer Irvine Welsh said: “Rik Mayall spread a lot of fun
and laughter. Very sad to see him taken before his time.”
Blackadder producer John Lloyd said: “It’s really a dreadful piece of
news.”
BBC Director of Television Danny Cohen said: “For a generation of
viewers he was a true comedy hero.”
Rik’s fellow Blackadder star Stephen Fry said: “Simply distraught
to hear of the death of Rik Mayall. An authentic comedy genius and a prince
among men.”
Rik became a household name playing Cliff Richard-loving anarchist student
Rick in 1980s BBC sitcom The Young Ones, alongside Ade Edmondson.
He went on to star in Blackadder and then as the obnoxious and lecherous MP
Alan B’Stard in The New Statesman.
Rik told last year how doctors almost turned off his life support machine
after his quad bike accident — but he rallied in time.
He said: “The main difference between now and before my accident is I’m very
glad to be alive.
“Now I’m in my 50s I want to work out what I’m going to do for the next 25
years.”
Rik voiced a Channel 4 comedy cartoon called Don’t Fear Death last year.
In it he said: “Don’t fear death. Why should you, everyone is doing it!
“It’s your passport to complete freedom.”
Roles that made him a household name
RIK played KEVIN TURVEY, a self-styled investigative journalist who
still lived with his mum.
RICK, poetry-writing student anarchist living with pals — punk Vyvyan,
hippie Neil and cool Mike.
VARIOUS characters with Dawn French, Ade Edmondson, Jennifer Saunders and
Alexei Sayle.
STOLE the show as FLASHHEART in second and fourth series. Played MAD
GERALD in series one.
RICHIE RICH, out of work actor who considers himself a superstar and
has paranoid delusions.
ALAN BERESFORD B’STARD, the ruthless, scheming, ultra-right Tory
MP for fictional Haltemprice.
ON the dole in London as RICHIE RICHARD, with flatmate Eddie Hitler
(Ade Edmondson).
DI GIDEON PRYKE, wheelchair bound detective in the hit TV series
starring Alan Davies.
Classic lines of sitcom legend
By JACK LOSH
RIK Mayall delivered his lines with comic genius — whether spitting them out
as mummy’s boy anarchist Rick in The Young Ones, or drooling them as
Blackadder lecher Lord Flashheart.
A classic moment in the 1980s student sitcom saw his character Rick declaring
before going on holiday: “There’ll be plenty of chicks for these tigers on
the road to the promised land.
“Who needs qualifications? Who cares about Thatcher and unemployment? We can
do just exactly whatever we want to do.
“Why? Because we’re Young Ones. Bachelor boys. Crazy, mad, wild-eyed,
big-bottomed anarchists.”
His wacky tirades came thick and fast from the first episode, when he ranted
at smoothie flatmate Mike: “I suppose you think it’s pretty weird.
“Well, you’d be right. ’Cause THAT’S the kind of guy I am, right? WEIRD. Which
is why I go over people’s heads. A bit like an aeroplane! You think I’m an
aeroplane, don’t you, Mike? Well, I’m not.”
As randy loud-mouth Flashheart, Rik’s catchphrase was “Woof!”.
In his first scene, at Edmund’s wedding, he spots Baldrick in drag and said:
“Thanks, bridesmaid, like the beard. Gives me something to hang on to!”
Then he asked Stephen Fry’s character Lord Melchett: “Still worshipping God?
Last thing I heard he started worshipping me! A-HAHAHAHAHA! Nursie! I like
it firm and fruity!
“Am I glad to see you or did I just put a canoe in my pocket?”
In The New Statesman, Rik played smooth, scheming, sadistic Tory Alan B’Stard.
Among his classic lines were: “I’m off down to Stringfellows to commit
adultery!”
And rallying against Europe, he ranted: “Why should we, the country that
produced Shakespeare, Christopher Wren — and those are just the people on
our banknotes, for Christ’s sake — cower down to the countries that produced
Hitler, Napoleon, the Mafia, and the the the, the the the, the the the…
Smurfs?”
Man who gave us a lifetime of laughs
By TONY PARSONS, Sun Columnist
RIK Mayall taught an entire generation to laugh at the world — and ourselves.
As Rick in The Young Ones, he showed all us post-punk kids with stupid
haircuts and badges on our lapels that we shouldn’t take ourselves quite so
seriously.
Nobody ever captured the laughable mood swings of being young quite like Rik
Mayall in The Young Ones. How can he possibly be gone?
Essex-born Rik had a tragically short life but a long and brilliant career.
He raised his gurning head as everything from Lord Flashheart in Blackadder to
Tory MP Alan B’Stard in The New Statesman to the loveable imaginary friend
in Drop Dead Fred.
His career reads like a roll call of all that is good about British TV and
film of the last 35 years.
But those of us who loved him from the start will remember him best in The
Young Ones — when he took a stage we all go through and turned it into comic
gold.
The Young Ones saw him teamed with Adrian Edmondson, his partner from stand-up
in The Comedy Store.
Even at the time of Rik’s death, there was talk of them working together again
— and those of us who were young in the Eighties will love and remember
their partnership the way our parents revered Morecambe and Wise. They were
that good.
Rik Mayall was a leading light of the alternative comedy explosion. But while
Ben Elton and Alexei Sayle were making Mrs Thatcher the butt of their jokes,
Rik was in many ways a throwback to a more innocent time.
Despite his brilliant portrayal of the Tory B’Stard, and the right-on ravings
as Rick in The Young Ones, Rik was a lover of slapstick, extreme silliness
and a very British kind of toilet humour.
What was special about him was that there was a real intelligence behind the
silliness. Yet he took nothing seriously — especially not himself.
When he crushed his skull on a quad bike in 1998, he managed to get a laugh
out of it.
He said: “I was dead for five days. Jesus was only dead for three. So I beat
Jesus 5-3.”
Rik was a wild, mercurial talent and it seems patently absurd that he has died
decades too soon.
His comedy did not always hit the mark, but when he was at his very best, he
was as funny as any comedian of the last 50 years.
More than anyone, Rik Mayall took alternative comedy into the mainstream.
And he also did something even more special. For what feels like a lifetime,
Rik Mayall made us laugh out loud.
Tributes to Rik
Eric Idle: Far too young. A very funny and talented man
Sir Cliff Richard: I was thrilled when he used me in Young Ones
David Walliams: My idol. He made me want to be a comedian
Ben Elton: I owe him so much, he changed my life utterly
Nigel Planer: Inspirational, bonkers and a great life-force
Rory Bremner: A fireball of comic energy and inspiration