Tony Slattery: Tributes paid to ‘genius’ Whose Line Is It Anyway star, who has died aged 65

Tributes have been paid to Whose Line Is It Anyway? star Tony Slattery, who has died at the age of 65 following a heart attack.

He was also the president of the University of Cambridge’s Footlights comedy society in 1982, making friends with the likes of Sir Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Dame Emma Thompson and Sandi Toksvig.

His acting credits included How to Get Ahead in Advertising in 1989 alongside Richard E Grant, and The Crying Game in 1992.

Away from comedy, Slattery was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and revealed in 2020 that he went bankrupt as a result of battling substance abuse and mental health issues.

Slattery’s partner Mark Michael Hutchinson announced the news of his passing, saying in a statement: “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.”

Fellow celebrities have since praised his “genius”, with Fry describing his friend as “the gentlest, sweetest soul I ever knew” and a “screamingly funny and deeply talented wit and clown”:

Ted Robbins, of Phoenix Nights and The Slammer fame, paid tribute to his “dear friend” by sharing a message Slattery had sent to him once in hospital:

Impressionist and fellow Whose Line star Rory Bremner described the news as “devastating”:

Les Dennis also paid a touching tribute.

And elsewhere, others shared clips of their favourite moments, such as when he decided to “take Noel [Edmonds] with him” when he was about to be covered in gunge on Noel’s House Party:

And, of course, some Whose Line skits:

Slattery is survived by his partner Mark, and – per the official announcement of his passing – a “ferocious cat” named Molly.

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