Veteran entertainer Bob Monkhouse dies after cancer battle

Veteran British comedian and television host Bob Monkhouse died today at his Bedfordshire home, his manager said. He was 75.

He died peacefully in his sleep after losing his two-and-a-half year battle against cancer, said Peter Prichard.

Mr Prichard, who was Monkhouse's manager for 38 years, said: "Sadly, I have to announce the death of Bob Monkhouse OBE. Bob died peacefully in his sleep this morning at his home after a lengthy battle with cancer."

Mr Prichard, of International Artists Ltd, said Monkhouse's wife Jackie called him shortly after 5am with the news that he had lost his battle with prostate cancer.

The former Family Fortune host died at his home in the village of Eggington, near Leighton Buzzard.

Monkhouse leaves a daughter, Abigail. His two sons both died in tragic circumstances - Gary from cerebral palsy and Simon from a heroin overdose.

Mr Prichard described Monkhouse as "one of the finest men I've ever known. We've lost one of the greatest comics England has ever produced."

When Monkhouse appeared in March at the Television and Radio Industries Club awards in London, where he received an award for his contribution to the entertainment world, the comedian wise-cracked: "I discovered about two years ago that visits to the loo were less and less profitable.

"I saw a specialist who asked me 'Are you familiar with the phrase faecal impaction?' I said I think I saw that one with Glenn Close and Michael Douglas."

Monkhouse, 74 at the time, added: "I can still enjoy sex at 74 - I live at 75, so it's no distance."

Born in Beckenham, Kent, in June 1928, Monkhouse started out as a comedy writer and rose to become one of the country's top comics with a highly polished on-screen persona that people seemed to either love or hate.

He hit the screens in the 1950s in the comedy show Fast And Loose and by 1960 was host of the British version of Candid Camera.

He went on to front Celebrity Squares, Family Fortunes, Bob's Full House, Bob Says Opportunity Knocks and, more recently, the National Lottery Draw.

Monkhouse also appeared in 12 films including Carry On Sergeant.

Despite his on-screen success, his life was dogged by personal tragedy.

He fell out with his parents over his marriage to first wife Elizabeth when he was 20, never making up with his father. He only got back on terms with his mother after 20 years, shortly before she died.

The marriage ended after 18 years after they had three children - Abigail, Gary and Simon.

Monkhouse married his secretary Jackie in 1972.

Gary died of cerebral palsy in the early 1990s. Simon fell out with his father and died of a heroin overdose in a Thai guest house in 2001.