Sir Stephen Fry has hailed his former co-star Tony Slattery as the "gentlest, sweetest soul" with a "deeply talented wit" following his death aged 65.
Sir Stephen, 67, said his friend had been "snatched" from us after his tragic death on Tuesday morning following a heart attack. Tony, born in Brent, northwest London, appeared on the Channel 4 comedy improvisation show Whose Line Is It Anyway? and comedy shows Just A Minute and Have I Got News For You.
He appeared alongside Sir Stephen - and an array of other stars - in the 1992 comedy Peter's Friends, written by Sir Kenneth Branagh, about members of an acting troupe who graduated from University of Cambridge.
Alongside a photo of the stars from their younger days, Sir Stephen wrote on Instagram: "So very sad to have lost the wonderful Tony Slattery, just about the gentlest, sweetest soul I ever knew. Not to mention a screamingly funny and deeply talented wit and clown."
The actor and broadcaster said it was a "cruel irony that fate should snatch him from us" when Slattery had begun to emerge from his "lifelong battle with so many dark demons", as he had recently been touring with a comedy show in England and launched a podcast, Tony Slattery's Rambling Club, in October.
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BBC / Sundog Pictures / Noelle Vaughn)Tony's partner, the actor Mark Michael Hutchinson, announced the tragedy on Tuesday. Tony had been with Mark for nearly 40 years, having met in 1986 when they were in the musical Me and My Girl in the West End.
"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," Mark said.
Actor and musician Richard Vranch, who provided the music for Whose Line Is It Anyway?, also paid tribute to the star. In a statement provided to the PA news agency, he said: "I first met Tony in 1981. We auditioned for the Cambridge Footlights as Iris Murdoch vs The Smog Monster and performed on the emerging London alternative comedy scene. Tony was hugely talented in many fields and a very good friend. We giggled like kids whenever we met up over the years. RIP."
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PA)Vranch, 65, was the improvising pianist and guitarist on the comedy show from 1988 until 1998, when he was replaced by Laura Hall for its 10th and last series.
Phoenix Nights star Ted Robbins said he was "devastated" to hear his "dear friend" had died, adding: "He was hugely talented, immensely kind and we shared so many wonderful times."
Actor James Dreyfus thanked Slattery for making him laugh "long and hard" every time he saw him. Tributes have also been paid by comedians Richard K Herring and Al Murray, along with radio DJ Mike Read. Comedian and actor Les Dennis remembered Slattery as a "wonderful talent" and a "nice man".
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