Tony Slattery's heartbreaking childhood abuse at the hands of a priest as he dies at 65

Tony Slattery has died at the age of 65, his partner has confirmed. He was best known for his work on Whose Line Is It Anyway? and Have I Got News For You

Comedian Tony Slattery once inspired the entire nation with his bravery when he opened up about the tragic childhood abuse he suffered at the hands of a priest when he was just eight-years-old.

Today, it was announced that the much-loved star has sadly died aged 65 following a heart attack. His beloved long-term partner announced the sad news in a statement, and tributes are pouring in from his famous friends and fans alike.

Slattery 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.

A statement on behalf of his partner Mark Michael Hutchinson said: “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.”

Born November 9, 1959, Slattery was the contemporary of Dame Emma Thompson, Sir Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie at the University of Cambridge. He was the former president of the improvisation group Cambridge Footlights, and had recently been touring a comedy show in England and launched a podcast, Tony Slattery’s Rambling Club, in October.

While Slattery has always been adored by millions for his honesty and openness, it took him 59 years to share the tragic abuse he suffered during his childhood. The comedian battled many demons throughout his life, including drug abuse, alcoholism, and anger issues. While he was able to overcome these challenges, there was one particular part of his life that he struggled to come to terms with.

In a 2020 interview with The Guardian, Slattery shared his story of sexual abuse at the hands of a priest when he was eight-years-old. The star had kept it a secret from everyone in his life - besides his partner - until then. At the time, he insisted that he was ready to tell his story in an attempt to allow him to heal from his past traumas, but in doing so, Slattery unknowingly helped many people who had sadly shared the same kind of traumatic experiences.

The comedian said at the time that he was nervous about the type of reaction he would receive from the public, but after he shared his story, he was not only inundated with messages of love and support - he was also offered book deals and documentaries about his the trauma he endured at the hands of the church.

After opening up about his heartbreaking childhood trauma in the interview, Slattery confessed a year later that he ‘had not quite shaken the worry that in talking about his childhood abuse’ and joked that he worried that some people would think he was ‘just whingeing on’. Slattery confessed that he still harboured embarrassment that “this terrible thing still weighs and presses down” and wondered why it was still affecting him over 50 years later.

In the eye-opening interview, when referencing his abuse, he said: “I’m going to go sententious and pretentious now, but I do think there may be a linear connection from the present to something way back,”.

When asked if he ever considered naming his abuser or the institution where the incident took place, he confessed: “It would serve no social or psychological purpose. That is my current thinking.”

Outside of stand-up, Slattery appeared in 1980s and 1990s films including crime thriller The Crying Game, Peter’s Friends with Laurie, Sir Stephen and Dame Emma, and black comedy How To Get Ahead In Advertising with Richard E Grant.

If you've been the victim of sexual assault, you can access help and resources via www.rapecrisis.org.uk or calling the national telephone helpline on 0808 802 9999.

Follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads.