It is with great sadness and a very heavy heart to report that comedian, actor and comedy legend Rik Mayall passed away today on June the 9th 2014; he was 56.<\/p>\n
The news was announced earlier\u00a0by his management team, Brunskill, who said:\u00a0“We are deeply saddened to announce the death of Rik Mayall who passed away this morning.<\/p>\n
“We will be issuing a further statement in the fullness of time.”<\/p>\n
He died at home in London. The Metropolitan Police said the death was not believed to be suspicious.<\/p>\n
They said they were called to reports of a sudden death of a man in his 50s at 13:19 BST on Monday, in Barnes in south west London.<\/p>\n
London Ambulance Service said “a man, aged in his 50s, was pronounced dead at the scene”.<\/p>\n
Best known to Blackadder fans as Flashheart in two series, Rik also portrayed the character Mad Gerald in series one and Robin Hood in Blackadder Back & Forth.<\/p>\n
Blackadder producer John Lloyd told the BBC: “It’s really a dreadful piece of news.”<\/p>\n
“He was the most extraordinarily good actor as well as being an amazing stand-up comics. Apart from being great company, he was a great professional,” said Lloyd<\/p>\n
His manager Roger Davidson said: “It is a terrible shock. All we know at this stage is that Rik died at home.<\/p>\n
“He touched many lives, and always for the better.”<\/p>\n
He played the obnoxious, poetry-writing anarchist Rick in The Young Ones alongside his friend Adrian Edmondson. The duo later went on to star in the sitcom Bottom.<\/p>\n
Edmondson added: “There were times when Rik and I were writing together when we almost died laughing.<\/p>\n
They were some of the most carefree stupid days I ever had, and I feel privileged to have shared them with him.<\/p>\n
“And now he’s died for real. Without me. Selfish bastard.”<\/p>\n
Mayall is survived by his wife Barbara Robbins, who he married in 1985, and their three children Rosie, Sidney and Bonnie.<\/p>\n
I’ll update the post as and when news arrives.<\/p>\n
For now, here’s Flashy being, well Flashy!<\/p>\n