Barry Chuckle, best known for being one half of the comedy duo The Chuckle Brothers, has passed away at the age of 73.
The news was confirmed by his manager Phil Dale, who released a statement earlier this morning. He stated that Barry passed away at home surrounded by his family.
“It is with great sadness that the family announce that Barry passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by his wife Ann and all his family.
“The family would like to express their thanks to the many people who have been fans of the Chuckle Brothers and they know that they will share in part the great, great loss they feel.”
Barry, real name Barry Elliott, was a children’s entertainer along with his brother Paul. Their TV show ChuckleVision ran for 292 episodes over 21 series between 1987 and 2009. The show featured iconic catchphrases such as “To me, to you” and “Oh dear, oh dear”.
Speaking about his brother’s passing, Paul stated: “I’ve not just lost my brother, I’ve lost my theatrical partner of many, many years and my very best friend.”
The Chuckle Brothers rose to fame in 1967 after winning Opportunity Knocks before achieving success on New Faces. Despite making numerous appearances on various shows throughout the years, they were best known for their work on ChuckleVision.
The duo were also pantomime regulars and toured with their own shows across the country. Earlier this year, they returned to television with their own show on Channel 5 titled Chuckle Time.
Here at CelebMix, we’re saddened to hear about Barry Chuckle’s passing. ChuckleVision was a huge part of our childhood, and Barry, along with Paul, was undoubtedly one of the best kids TV heroes.
Our thoughts are with Paul and the rest of Barry’s family at this awful time.
Share your best memories of Barry Chuckle with us on Twitter @CelebMix