Comedian and actor Tony Slattery has died aged 65 following a heart attack, his partner confirms.
The star appeared on the likes of Whose Line Is It Anyway?, Just A Minute, Red Dwarf and Have I Got News For You.
His partner Mark Michael Hutchinson shared a statement which read: "It is with great sadness we must announce actor and comedian Tony Slattery, aged 65, has passed away today, Tuesday morning, following a heart attack on Sunday evening."
Fans have taken to social media to share their condolences, with one writing: "Sad news about Tony Slattery. A very funny man in his day. RIP."
Another fan posted: "Very sad, I remember Tony being a regular in the 80s and 90s on comedy shows and quiz games. Taken far too early."
Unfortunately for the star, personal problems later overshadowed Slattery's career, which lead to a reduced profile. He made his last appearance on Whose Line Is It Anyway? in 1995, and after that only made occasional TV jobs in the mid-90s-00s due to extended illness.
In 2020, Tony and his partner of three decades Mark Hutchinson featured in an edition of the BBCHorizon series entitled "What's the Matter with Tony Slattery?".
The show examined his mental health, childhood trauma and substance addictions, and showed medical professionals concluding that he was still experiencing trauma due to his childhood abuse.
As well as being on the bi-polar spectrum and suffering from alcohol dependence. The industry professionals advised the comic on how to improve both his mental health and his physical wellbeing.
He once spoke to The Guardian about his experience and said: “I have a feeling that what might have been a contributing factor is something that happened when I was very young. A priest. When I was about eight.”
Born November 9, 1959, Slattery was the contemporary of Dame Emma Thompson, Sir Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie at the University of Cambridge.
He was the former president of the improvisation group Cambridge Footlights, and had recently been touring a comedy show in England and launched a podcast, Tony Slattery’s Rambling Club, in October.
Outside of stand-up, Slattery appeared in 1980s and 1990s films including crime thriller The Crying Game, Peter’s Friends with Laurie, Sir Stephen and Dame Emma, and black comedy How To Get Ahead In Advertising with Richard E Grant.
In 2020, Slattery – who regularly spoke openly about his bipolar disorder – revealed he went bankrupt following a battle with substance abuse and mental health issues.
He told the Radio Times that his “fiscal illiteracy and general innumeracy” as well as his “misplaced trust in people” had also contributed to his money problems.
The star released the BBC Two Horizon documentary What’s The Matter With Tony Slattery? in the same year, which saw him and Hutchinson visit leading experts on mood disorders and addiction.
Slattery is survived by his partner of more than three decades, by actor Mark Hutchinson.
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