Jeremy Beadle dies aged 59

[Si Hunt]

TV star Jeremy Beadle is in intensive care suffering from pneumonia.

The 59-year-old's family are at his bedside in a North London hospital, where he has been receiving treatment for several days.

His agent Michael Cohen said: "Anybody suffering from pneumonia is going to be pretty poorly. We are all hopeful he will pull through and be fine."

The You've Been Framed host had surgery to remove a kidney tumour in 2004 and battled lymphocytic leukaemia the following year.

His series Beadle's About ran for nine years from 1987 and was the world's longest continuously-running hidden camera show.

Who fans will know him from his appearance on This Morning with Debbie, Frazer and Julie Peasgood in '93, in which he seemed like a thoroughly nice cheap (and a fan) despite the jokes about him down the years.

Get well soon.

Si.

[SiHart]

I hope he recovers. He's a fiercely intelligent man who's often gone for lowest common dominator TV projects. I've always had a soft spot for him though.

Si xx

[Pip Madeley]

I hope he recovers soon, I used to listen to his radio show on TalkSport when I was a wee Pip every Sunday night in bed.

[Antony Cox]

I've always quite admired Jeremy Beadle, too - hope he recovers soon!

[WhiteCrow]

Hope he gets well soon.

It's easy to dismiss him as some kind of sub-Noel Edmunds celeb from the TV projects he's gone for. But like many have said, he always comes over as incredibly intelligent and likeable in interviews.

Hope he gets well soon ...

[Stuart Wallis]

I remember him getting the MBE for raising £5million for children's charities IIRC, in five years, with no help from anyone except possibly his wife. I wish him well for that.

[WhiteCrow]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Beadle

The "practical joker" side is what we know (and partially loathe) him for. But in a potted history he was a Taxi driver turned trivia/general knowledge genius.

[Captain Tancredi]

Indeed, I think the first time I became aware of him was when he started to make a name for himself having a regular spot on one of the BBC breakfast radio programmes coming up with fascinating bits of trivia. If they'd made QI 25 years ago, he could well have hosted it.

The problem with being Jeremy Beadle and being ill, though, is the danger of walking into A&E holding your chest and gasping for breath while the nurses stand around and go "Oh look, it's Beadle doing one of his pranks!". The practical joker persona seems to be something he found he was good at through doing a variety of other things, and if it did eventually run out of steam, he was nevertheless very popular Sunday evening viewing at one stage.

[Dave Tudor]

I've never really understood the criticisms which have been levelled at him over the years, as he's always seemed a decent sort of bloke. If he was a new comic, doing that sort of stuff now, he would probably be hailed as a comic genius. I hope he gets well soon.

[Ralph]

Given the merciless slagging off Bernard Manning received on this forum on the announcement of his death (I wasn't a fan of his either) I think I should speak up for those not keen on Beadle either. I'm sorry to hear the guy's ill. As for his persona on TV I can't quite pin it down exactly but the guy makes me reach for the off button whenever I've seen him on our screens. He may very well be a decent guy, I've no idea, for me it simply could be I hated his TV show and the stigma rubbed off on him.

[Carol Baynes]

Indeed, I think the first time I became aware of him was when he started to make a name for himself having a regular spot on one of the BBC breakfast radio programmes coming up with fascinating bits of trivia. If they'd made QI 25 years ago, he could well have hosted it.

The problem with being Jeremy Beadle and being ill, though, is the danger of walking into A&E holding your chest and gasping for breath while the nurses stand around and go "Oh look, it's Beadle doing one of his pranks!". The practical joker persona seems to be something he found he was good at through doing a variety of other things, and if it did eventually run out of steam, he was nevertheless very popular Sunday evening viewing at one stage.

..and Saturday with "Game for a laugh" in the early '80s! I used to love that show.

Best of love and luck to Jeremy- hope he pulls through.

[Dirk Gently]

I preferred the Not The Nine O'Clock News' version myself.

[Alex]

I hope he gets better soon too, I always enjoyed his tv work in the eighties. Unlike a lot of the hidden camera prank japery nowadays there didn't seem to be any malice behind it, it was just a bit of a jokey wind up and of course the rest of the person's family were always in on it.

[davethesailor]

I have had the pleasure of meeting Jeremy a few times (he is also an avid Joe Longthorne fan) and can vouch that he is a very kind, gentle, charming and funny man. I do hope he gets well soon.

Dave xx

[Pip Madeley]

Speaking of Joe Longthorne, I expect you know he's touring in June?

My uncle's going, probably to the Bolton date.

[davethesailor]

Speaking of Joe Longthorne, I expect you know he's touring in June?

My uncle's going, probably to the Bolton date.

The tour starts in March. I am going to more dates than I am prepared to admit to!!!!

Ok, I will be going to three consecutive dates in March over Easter in Blackpool on March 21,22 and 23 and that's just the start of it!

[Matthew T]

He's died:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7217342.stm

[Carol Baynes]

How truly sad.

[Pip Madeley]

Oh no.

It sounds like he went through a lot of pain in his last few years, what with leukaemia and having a cancerous kidney... he died too young, my grandad was about the same age when he died. Rest in peace, Jeremy. I hope they show some sort of tribute to him at some point.

[Captain Tancredi]

Very sad, but I can't help thinking that at his funeral everybody will be thinking "well, if it's one of his stunts, he's leaving it a bit late...". To an extent he probably overstayed his welcome on television slightly, but he was genuinely popular and his pranks were always imaginative without being malicious, which his imitators and successors seem to have forgotten.

Sadly Beadle is no longer About.

[Alex]

Aw, this is very sad news, personally I don't think he did outstay his welcome on tv and I always thought it was a shame he wasn't on tv more - or that he wasn't on it more often recently.

[Rob McCow]

Oh no! Beadle is no longer about

[Stephen Morgan]

I was shocked earlier on by this sad news. Although I'd known, by recent posts, that he was ill, I didn't realise how ill. A sad day for entertainment.

RIP Jeremy Beadle.

[WhiteCrow]

This is a shame.

[duncan]

Such a shame. Game for a laugh made me cry with laughter as did Beadles about. You've Been Framed is now much better with Harry Hill though.

RIP Beadle.