The heartbroken family of comedian Jimmy Cricket have said the ‘world is a far less sillier place today’ after he died aged 80.
The Northern Irish comic, known for wearing his trademark ‘L’ and ‘R’ wellington boots on the wrong feet, and catchphrase ‘and there’s more’ passed away on Monday morning in hospital.
Ever the comedian, his son Frankie said his dad asked for the last rites twice, ‘almost like he asked for an encore’.
He described his father, real name James Mulgrew, as ‘like a light’ and said he loved making people laugh.
The Cookstown-born comic previously said he was taking a ‘little sabbatical for health reasons’but hoped he could ‘catch up’ with fans at his stand up shows later in the year.
Announcing his death, his family wrote: ‘Our beloved Jimmy passed away this morning after a short illness. He spent his last few days surrounded by his family, love, laughter and songs. Jimmy brought so much laughter and happiness to countless audiences in his career over the years.
‘Whether on stage, screen or radio, or if you met him in person as well.
‘But that was nothing to the happiness he gave to his family. A devoted husband to May for fifty two years.
‘A wonderful dad to his four children and very silly grandad indeed to his four grandchildren. He was our greatest champion and loved us all loudly. He also just loved people and he absolutely loved being a stand up comedian. What a life he lived.
‘Forever our clown, he was cracking jokes to the wonderful NHS staff and to us all, right until the end. His courage, dignity and positivity through all he endured was inspirational.
‘A force for joy, we are just all very sad that the world is a far less sillier place today.
‘We were going to end by using his famous catchphrase and say, ‘There’s no More’.
‘But Jimmy was a man of great faith and a Papal Knight of the Catholic Church. He believed that death is not the end and was looking forward to eternity, so really…And there’s more.’
Jimmy Cricket’s stage name came from his time working in holiday camps as a young entertainer.
According to accounts of his early career, while performing at Butlin’s and Pontins holiday camps, he developed a comedy act based around an ‘Irish country boy’ character with the nickname Jimmy Cricket sticking.
His career took off in the 1970s and he became a well-known face appearing on British staples the Royal Variety Shows, The Good Old Days, Bullseye, and This Is Your Life.