Tony Slattery, a British actor and comedian known for his role on the Channel 4 show Whose Line Is It Anyway? has died.
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The BBC confirmed Slattery's death via a statement on behalf of his partner, Mark Michael Hutchinson. "It is with great sadness we must announce actor and comedian Tony Slattery, aged 65, has passed away today, Tuesday morning, following a heart attack on Sunday evening."
Slattery was best known for his performance in Whose Line Is It Anyway. Each episode of the show featured short games, such as trying to decipher a riddle with sound effects or acting out scenes from TV or movies. Whose Line Is It Anyway showcased comedians' ability to improvise and make things up on the spot.
During the 90s, Slattery was a regular guest on the BBC show Have I Got News For You. Similar to Whose Line Is It Anyway, guests poke fun at the week's headlines, and viewers tuned in for light-hearted improvisational comedy. Slattery even appeared in a couple of episodes of the cult classic sci-fi comedy series Red Dwarf.
Tony Slattery also presented his own show at the end of the 80s called 'Saturday Night At The Movies.'
According to PopCulture, Slattery left the public eye for personal reasons. In the Stephen Fry documentary, The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive, Slattery revealed he had a midlife crisis following his exit from Whose Line Is It Anyway.
He reprised his role with the show in March 2011 during a special episode held for Comic Relief. More recently, Slattery hosted a podcast called Tony Slattery's Rambling Club.
Actors And Fans Say Their Goodbyes
Social media channels are flooded with tributes from co-workers and fans. James Dreyfus, known for several TV shows, including Gimme Gimme Gimme, said, "Gutted. Thank you, Tony, for making me laugh, long & hard, every time I saw you. RIP Tony Slattery.
A British comic, Ted Robbins, tweeted, "Just devastated that my dear friend Tony Slattery has died. He was hugely talented, immensely kind & we shared so many wonderful times. When I had my own troubles Tony got a message to me in hospital - when he was struggling himself. "the world is a better place with you still in it"
