It’s with a sad heart that I relate the news of Humphrey Lyttleton’s passing.  The jazz musician extraordinaire and host of the long running “antidote to panel games” I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue passed away yesterday at the age of 86, following surgery for an aortic aneurysm.

Lyttleton was born into the landed gentry, but a short career spell in Wales amongst steel workers set him on the road to socialism. His trumpet playing began soon before the war, during which he took the instrument with him wherever he went, and can (possibly) be heard on footage of VE Day in London.  the following 60 or so years saw him marry twice, develop his musical, his artistic ability and forge careers in music, broadcasting, cartoons and of course as the deadpan host of a comedy institution. (There is so much more about Humprey Lyttleton’s life in this excellent obituary in The Telegraph.)
There is little else I can add, other than to remind us of some wonderful double entrendres, from the exploits of the fictitious scoring girl Samantha…

 - Samantha’s just started keeping bees and already has three dozen or so. She says she’s got an expert handler coming round to give a demonstration. He’ll carefully take out her 38 bees and soon have them flying round his head.

- Samantha has to nip out to the House of Lords with her constituency friend. He’s looking for support for his MP who’s facing expulsion, and Samantha says it’s important to have a good peer if his member’s likely to be out.

- Samantha spent many hours in conversation with the BBC gramophone library research staff for this round, deliberating over the fine old 7-inchers they presented for inspection. She says before deciding which she was going to spin she had to think about each one long and hard

…and may he rest in peace.

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Absolutely delighted that the great Sir Anthony Hopkins has unveiled the long overdue statue of Tommy Cooper this weekend.

It is a little-known fact that one of the funniest entertainers ever was a Welshman – Cooper was born in Caerphilly in 1921.

The statue is 9ft high and made from bronze, and played host to Hopkins and a fair crowd who were thrilled with Sir Anthony’s own celebrated Tommy Cooper impersonation

“It is a pleasure to be here – Tommy Cooper is a comedy legend and I’ve always been a fan.

“The wonderful thing about him is simplicity – his one-line jokes still have me in stitches.”

(Hello)

It’s 24 years since Tommy Cooper died whilst performing onstage.  Definitely one of my favourites, and an all-time great.

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