Rik Mayall brought Alan B’Stard to Wakefield

Comedian and actor Rik Mayall brought one of his most colourful creations to the streets of Wakefield back in the 1980s.
Actor Rik Mayall in the roll of Alan B'Stard outside Bradford City Hall. 12th June 2007.Actor Rik Mayall in the roll of Alan B'Stard outside Bradford City Hall. 12th June 2007.
Actor Rik Mayall in the roll of Alan B'Stard outside Bradford City Hall. 12th June 2007.

Rik died suddenly, aged 56, on Monday.

He was best known for his role as the anarchic people’s poet Rick in the cult BBC comedy The Young Ones and Bottom, the slapstick sitcom about hapless losers Richard ‘Richie’ Richard and Edward ‘Eddie’ Hitler, alongside his friend Adrian Edmondson.

He was a part of the new wave of alternative comedians that broke through during the early 1980s, and he went onto to appear as part of the Comic Strip and on Blackadder.

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Later he went onto play scheming, smooth but unpleasant, Tory MP Alan B’Stard in the ITV comedy The New Statesman, which ran from 1986 to 1992.

And back in 1988 a house on St John’s Square, in Wakefield, was turned into Downing Street.

The Georgian square was filled with crews and lit up to film Rik entering the Prime Minister’s home.

Rik died at his south London home on Monday. A cause of death is yet to be established but it is not thought to be suspicious.

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His friend and co-writer Adrian Edmondson said: “There were times when Rik and I were writing together when we almost died laughing.

“They were some of the most carefree stupid days I ever had, and I feel privileged to have shared them with him.

“And now he’s died for real. Without me. Selfish bastard.”

Other tributes paid to the actor and comedian described him as an “inspiration, bonkers and a great life force.”

He was married with three children.

In 1998 he was left in a coma after a quad bike accident.

He met Edmondson at Manchester University and the pair began performing as the Dangerous Brothers.

They later performed at the Comic Strip Club as 20th century Coyote.

He also starred in movies Drop Dead Fred and Guest House Paradiso,