Rik Mayall

Rik Mayall was a brilliant actor, writer and anarchic comic talent. Instantly recognisable, fabulously outrageous and well known for his honest, anti-establishment humour and savage ability to parody real life.

Together with his long term writing partner Ade Edmondson, they were pioneers of the alternative comedy revolution, which flipped the comedy establishment on its head in the early '80s. With explosively inventive, dark and surreal characters, they appeared in a number of cult TV shows such as: The Young Ones, The Comic Strip Presents, Blackadder and Bottom. In doing so, they became comic legends and inspired generations of comedy stars that would follow. 

I have always had a problem with doing what I'm told. Physical comedy, it's a great equaliser. It's a challenge to authority. It's that attitude of - Yeah, they can give you parking tickets, but they can't stop you setting fire to the traffic warden.

Even after his own near death experience from a Quad Bike crash in 1998, he wrote the experience into a stage version of Bottom. 

Ade Edmondson... I have never laughed as hard as I have writing with Rik, Apoplectic laughter.

After playing the Cliff Richard obsessed Rick in the Young Ones, he and the rest of the cast had a number 1 single with a version of Living Doll in 1986 with royalties going to Comic relief.

Awarded British Comedy Award for Best TV Comedy actor in 1993 and Primetime Emmy award in 1997 for his voice-over work.

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