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The Kings Of Comedy

by | 27th, August 2004

‘SADLY, Tommy Cooper will not be back to share with us the one-liners that had him voted the greatest British comedian of all-time earlier this week.

Lords of laughter, ministers of mirth

He really did have a heart attack on stage during the 1994 performance of Live From Her Majesty’s and isn’t just lying there waiting for the laughter to subside.

Nor – alas – will Bob Monkhouse roll the stone from the front of his grave and flash that trademark grin at us again.

But four other veteran comics are to make a comeback – the Star announces that the quartet of comedy legends will take on four raw young stand-ups in a gag-telling battle to discover the real kings of comedy.

The final line-up of the show, to be produced by Big Brother creator Endemol, has not yet been announced, although Bullseye’s Jim Bowen is thought to be the captain of the oldies.

A Channel 4 spokesman explained: ‘Each week for four weeks, the worst comics will be voted off until there will be a laugh-off among the four survivors.

‘At the end of the series the last joker left will be undisputed king or queen of comedy.

‘Old stagers are always claiming they are better than the newcomers – now they have the chance to prove it.’

But among the veterans being sounded out to appear on the show, we can’t help but remark on a couple of notable absences.

The Star mentions 73-year-old Bernard Manning, 63-year-old Stan Boardman, 64-year-old Mike Reid and 78-year-old Frank Carson.

But not a word of two 51-year-olds who still have as much laughter to give as they did when they came together as The Two Rons.

Where is Gareth? Where is Norman? Where are the legendary Hale and Pace..?’



Posted: 27th, August 2004 | In: Tabloids Comment | TrackBack | Permalink