Mourners are set to gather in Greater Manchester today for the funeral of comedian Jimmy Cricket, who died earlier this month at the age of 80.
Mr Cricket’s funeral will take place in Salford Cathedral this afternoon (August 21).
Jimmy Cricket died on August 3 from a brief illness
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Mr Cricket became instantly recognisable during the 1980s with his signature bowler hat and his catchphrase: “And there’s more.”
He featured in programmes such as The Good Old Days and the Royal Variety Performance.
Announcing the news of his death earlier this month, his family described him as a man who cherished those closest to him above all else.
“A devoted husband to May for 52 years,” they said, adding that he was “a wonderful dad to his four children and very silly grandad indeed to his four grandchildren.”
Jimmy Cricket with his family in 1985
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They added: “He was our greatest champion and loved us all loudly.”
Rather than using his famous catchphrase to say farewell, the family chose to reframe it with hope.
“We were going to end by using his famous catchphrase and say, ‘There’s no More’.
“But Jimmy was a man of great faith… He believed that death is not the end and was looking forward to eternity, so really… And there’s more.”
The comedian’s family said he spent his final days surrounded by ‘love, laughter and songs’ | GETTY
His relatives have invited fans of the comedian to celebrate his life at his funeral at 1:30pm.
Mr Cricket’s youngest son, a former comedian turned priest, said the Coockstown-born comedian asked for the last rites twice, joking it was “almost like an encore,” before he died.
Father Frankie Mulgrew went on to describe his father as being “like a light,” adding that he loved making people laugh.
In a statement posted on social media, the family said Mr Cricket, who was a devout Catholic, was their “greatest champion.”
Jimmy Cricket’s family have invited fans to celebrate his life
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GETTY
The new statement read: “Jimmy brought so much laughter and happiness to countless audiences in his career over the years.
“Whether on stage, screen, or radio, or if you met him in person as well. But that was nothing compared to the happiness he gave to his family.”
Mr Cricket had been married to his wife May for 52 years, with the couple sharing four children.
He left school at the age of 16, spending his summers working at a Redcoat camp host at Butlins.
The comedian went on to work through the comedy club scene during the 1970s and ’80s, and soon won the LWT’s Search for a Star contest.
He later got his own ITV show, And There’s More, which lasted four series.
He later fronted his own programme on BBC Radio 2 before appearing on the Royal Variety Show in the ’80s and performing in a number of pantomimes.