Bob died peacefully in his sleep this morning at his home after a lengthy battle with cancer.". Mr Prichard said the comedian's wife, Jackie, called him shortly after 5am with the news. Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in, Please refresh your browser to be logged in, Veteran entertainer Bob Monkhouse dies after cancer battle, Extra 20% off selected fashion and sportswear at Very, Up to 20% off & extra perks with Booking.com Genius Membership, $6 off a $50+ order with this AliExpress discount code, 15% off orders over 15 with this eBay discount code, Compare broadband packages side by side to find the best deal for you, Compare cheap broadband deals from providers with fastest speed in your area, All you need to know about fibre broadband, Best Apple iPhone Deals in the UK February 2023, Compare iPhone contract deals and get the best offer this February, Compare the best mobile phone deals from the top networks and brands. Friends said she never fully recovered from Monkhouse's death from prostate cancer in 2003. One more star has disappeared from the British theatres and TVs. In Jimmy Carrs 2006 book The Naked Jape, he cited some of Monkhouses jokes. He died peacefully in his sleep after a two-and-a-half year battle. Mr Prichard described Monkhouse as "one of the finest men I've ever known". He fell out with his parents over his marriage to first wife Elizabeth when he was 20, never making up with his father. And one of the women goes, `Ooh, un champignon nouveau [meaning] a new mushroom'. I once met Bob in 1959, when I was a young boy. 1953. The controversial US oil plan explained, Watch: Moment teenager smashes into lorry during 100mph police chase. Our thoughts are particularly with his wife Jackie and daughter Abigail at this very sad time. 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Although I have been away from the UK for some years, thinking about Bob Monkhouse always helped me to connect to the old country and its unique humour. Monkhouse leaves a daughter, Abigail. Robert Alan "Bob" Monkhouse, OBE (1st June 1928 - 29th December 2003) was an English entertainer and comedian. A Channel 5 show about Bob Monkhouses life and work airs tonight (Tuesday, December 29). You were one of the best.Haydn Jones, Prestatyn, Denbighshire. So long Bob.. It's a little one-reeler, French, and made, I should think, sometime in the Twenties.. He is an example to us all.John Bartram, Margate, Sad news - especially at this time of year. In the early 1970s he appeared on BBC Radio in Mostly Monkhouse with Josephine Tewson and David Jason. Today is the 17th anniversary of Bob Monkhouses death. Bob Monkhouse was educated at Goring Hall School in Worthing, Sussex, and Dulwich College in south London, from which he was expelled for climbing the clock tower. [6][bettersourceneeded] While still at school, Monkhouse wrote for The Beano and The Dandy and drew for other comics including Hotspur, Wizard and Adventure. I guess what really sums up Bob for me was that despite some of the crude and crass humour that exists on today's television, Bob never sunk to that level to get a laugh, he was the consummate professional, and was a "Family" entertainer which in today's world of comedy is a rare treasure. Now I know how brave Bob Monkhouse was. After his film collection was returned, Monkhouse confessed that the suspicions werent completely unfounded as he did own one blue movie. Indeed, when Goodwin broke up the partnership in 1962, it was to work for Hope.[11]. He will always be near the top of my fave comedians and famous people list. Am I going to be nasty? He was diagnosed with the condition in September 2001. Monkhouse's TV shows included The Golden Shot - which at its peak had 16 million viewers - Opportunity Knocks and Bob's Full House. Detectives hunting for Constance Martens baby find remains of infant, London Ambulance Service told to improve its ethnic diversity, Third of London pupils miss first pick of school, Shocking moment moped narrowly misses 70mph train at level crossing, Armed police swoop on Hackney Central station after man knifed, Harry and Meghan lose Frogmore Cottage after memoir controversy, What is the Willow Project? He was the guv'nor," said Mr Prichard. A day is wasted for me if I haven't done something even mildly creative.". I have wonderful childhood memories of watching Bob's shows with my family. God bless you, Bob. The widow of comedian Bob Monkhouse has died suddenly, it has emerged. They were returned after 18 months,[10] but the thief, although arrested, was never charged. In his final years, Monkhouse hosted a show on BBC Radio 2 called The Monkhouse Archive in which he provided humorous links to clips of comedy acts spanning the previous 50 years. His loss is like losing a beloved family member. Craig Warner, Hayden, Idaho, USA, I grew up in the 80s with Bob constantly on the TV. In one gag, Monkhouse quipped: They laughed when I said I wanted to be a comedian. You can opt-out at any time by signing in to your account to manage your preferences. He explained that he found it difficult to know how to react to their jibes without seeming pompous because he had been around for so long. The gun, launcher and camera were props. On 12 June 2007, Monkhouse posthumously appeared on British TV in an advertisement promoting awareness of prostate cancer for Male Cancer Awareness Week. My best wishes go to his family & friends.Stephen, St Erth, Cornwall, One word.LEGEND!! Sign up for exclusive newsletters, comment on stories, enter competitions and attend events. Then I'm being patronising. British comedian Bob Monkhouse, who wrote jokes for Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra in a 50-year showbusiness career, died on Monday aged 75, his manager said. Whats it worth to you?. The advertisement was made with the support of Monkhouse's estate and supported by poster campaigns, including award-winning panels displayed in London Underground trains. The TV career of one of Britain's bestloved entertainers began in 1947, when he appeared with comic partner Denis Goodwin. Tony McGinitty, Green Bay, Wisconsin, I was personally saddened at the loss of one of the world's greatest comics and most intelligent funny men. Monkhouse continued: The ones who think they're the sharpies from clubland. Jackie Monkhouse, 71, was found by her maid at her home in Barbados. Monkhouse leaves a daughter, Abigail. I want to die in the saddle. He went on to front Celebrity Squares, Family Fortunes, Bob's Full House, Bob Says Opportunity Knocks and, more recently, the National Lottery Draw. Get involved in exciting, inspiring conversations. My best wishes to his wife and family.Chris Curry, Newport, South Wales, From the pasty young dentist alongside Leslie Phillips (in black & white) to the man with the tan and the wry grin with some 'News for You', Bob will be missed not only for his consummate professionalism, but more perhaps for his generosity in both giving of money, for which he was well known, and of his own time and effort, which went generally unsung. He gave me a guided tour of his car and let me take his photo alongside it. He revealed that the only difficulty he experienced was with the Essex lot, who he defined as lary lads who came from the scrap-metal belt. Mr Prichard said he was "choked" to deliver "the very, very sad news". Monkhouse, who died from prostate cancer in 2003, also hosted many popular game shows including Family Fortunes, Celebrity Squares, The Golden Shot and others. In the last programme Bob Monkhouse ever worked on before he died he picked all his favourite comedy clips from his lifetime. Bob Monkhouse was one of the most treasured personalities on British TV for decades. DON'T MISSBob Monkhouse: The comedy uncle[INTERVIEW]Why comedy fans love a one-liner[ANALYSIS]Cache in the attic: Bob Monkhouse hid 50,000 comedy videos in his loft[NEWS]. He ended by saying, "As a comedian, I've died many deaths. And at the same time, for five years from 1998, he also presented popular game show Wipeout. What a sad loss. Bob Monkhouse, born June 1 1928, died December 29 2003, Supremely accomplished stand-up comic and game show host, whose self-assured manner on screen masked a personal life dogged by loss and disappointment, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. Mr Monkhouse had a long and successful career in showbusiness and had hosted hundreds of television shows. Bob was given an OBE for services to entertainment in 1993. How do I choose my approach?". One of the brightest lights just went out on the Christmas tree," he said. Comedian Bob Monkhouse dies of cancer at the age of 75. He spent 50 years in television, hosting TV game shows such as Family Fortunes and appearing in 12 films. He made several guest appearances on television shows before he and his comedy partner Denis Goodwin launched their own television series, Fast and Loose, in In 1993 Monkhouse was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for services to entertainment. Monkhouse was the class clown at Dulwich College. Bob Monkhouse, one of the most enduring figures of British comedy, died at his home in Bedfordshire yesterday aged 75. A respected stand-up comedian, Monkhouse was known for his talent at ad-libbing. It was catalogued and restored to digital formats for a major event at British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) on 24 October 2009. The dozens of other shows Monkhouse presented included Celebrity Squares, Family Fortunes and Bob's Full House. As well as two sons, they had an adopted daughter, Abigail, who gave him two granddaughters. His eldest son, Gary Alan, who had cerebral palsy, lived at Naish farm house, a residential home for the disabled in Christchurch Road, New Milton, Hampshire. You will be sadly missed by the British public. David Ismay, a friend of Monkhouse, said the family would not be releasing any details about Friday's service. It's not just film and TV. Monkhouse, who lives in a Tudor farmhouse in Bedfordshire, has also suffered encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain. 17,029 pages were read in the last minute. During the interview she produced a handgun and fired it on several occasions, destroying a plant pot on the set and a series of lights in the studio roof. [14] Among the audience were a number of British comedians who had been personally invited by Monkhouse, including Reece Shearsmith, Jon Culshaw, David Walliams, Fiona Allen and Mark Steel. His death has come to a very big shock to me and I will miss him very much. Chris Perry, of Kaleidoscope and Kaleidoscope Publishing, said: "We are painstakingly transferring the important contents of the video tapes and restoring radio shows. My thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time.Alana Sinclair, New Zealand, Bob Monkhouse was a giant in the entertainment business. Showbusiness agent. His book 'Just say a few words' has been a very useful tool on many occasions. Chris Barnett, Eastbourne, His appearance on television brought joy into my life for many years. By clicking Sign up you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use, Cookie policy and Privacy notice. Comic Simon Cartwright did a play as him years after his death and people thought it was the real deal. "Anyone who understood comedy loved Bob. Hilary, Guildford, UK, Witty, funny and as sharp as a razor. Two video cassettes of my cabaret act and a sea of game shows as valuable as yesterdays Daily Mirror.. The show also included a rare public appearance from Monkhouse's friend Mike Yarwood. Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, Bob Monkhouse. Alan Ball, Runaway Bay, Australia, I have grown up with Bob on my T.V screen, he was the king of game shows because of his razor sharp wit. The veteran comedian, whose showbusiness career spanned more than half a century, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in September 2001. Bob was 75 at the time, having marked his birthday some months earlier in June. Monkhouse hosted Wipeout from 1998 until a few months before his death in 2003. His two sons both died in tragic circumstances - Gary from cerebral palsy and Simon from a heroin overdose. His film archive began in the late 1950s. I wouldn't know what to do if I retired anyway.". He became much in demand as an after-dinner speaker and wrote a book about the subject, Just Say a Few Words (Lennard Publishing, 1988, 1999). Monkhouse was reported to have let out one of his staccato laughs as he explained the scene. Monkhouse died of prostate cancer in 2003. Mr Prichard said he was "choked" to deliver "the very, very sad news". And during the later years of his career when most performers slow down that was pretty much the case due to his regular National Lottery hosting job. It involved an implant in his stomach and a daily pill which allowed him to keep on working. The Golden Shot,Family Fortunes,Opportunity Knocks, Bobs Full House, Celebrity SquaresandWipeout, he also acted and hosted on the radio. This is sad news for British comedy, but I expect Heaven will be a hoot now! Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? In the 2010 ITV documentary The Unforgettable Bob Monkhouse, a friend explained that he often complained about there being a whole generation who dont know Im a comedian. With Bob Monkhouse, Mike Yarwood, Fiona Allen, Jon Culshaw. On Monkhouse's death, the books were bequeathed to Colin Edmonds. The show was broadcast by the BBC in 2016 and again in November 2019 and April 2020. His second marriage, to Jacqueline Harding, lasted until his death. He recalled: Two quite attractive women in Marie Antoinette-type outfits are coming through a field. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group, King Charles hosts von der Leyen at Windsor Castle, Huge urgent police search for missing baby of Constance Marten, Shocking video shows machete fight in broad daylight, Gabor Mat: No Jewish state without oppressing local population, Putin spy plane before being 'destroyed by pro-Ukraine Belarus group', Amplified jet stream could lead to 'disruptive snow in places', Pupils take to TikTok as they stage protest at Shenfield High School, Dashcam captures moment two cars collide on a roundabout, Putin orders intelligence service to find 'scum' who oppose him, Moment supermarket cashier is attacked at work in New York, Police search allotment sheds for Constance Marten's missing baby, Police: Constance Marten's baby may have come to serious harm. Veteran British comedian and television host Bob Monkhouse has died at his Bedfordshire home aged 75. 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