Rik Mayall (1958-2014) comedian/actor
888 views · Published 14 December 2017 · 2:30 · Indexed 26 September 2026
Channel: George Pollen · 2017 · People & Blogs
Richard Michael "Rik" Mayall (7th March 1958 - 9th June 2014) was an English comedian, actor and writer. Mayall formed a close partnership with Ade Edmondson while they were students at Manchester University, and became a pioneer of alternative comedy in the 1980s. Mayall starred in numerous cult classic sitcoms throughout his career, including The Young Ones, The Comic Strip Presents..., Blackadder, Filthy Rich & Catflap, The New Statesman, and Bottom. Mayall also starred in the comedy films Drop Dead Fred and Guest House Paradiso, and won a Primetime Emmy Award for his voice-over work in The Willows in Winter. His comedic style was described as energetic "post-punk".
