Comedian Tom O’connor dies aged 81
Comedian Tom O'connor has died aged 81, his family has announced.
The entertainer, born in Bootle, Merseyside, was best known for presenting a number of hit gameshows including Crosswits and Name That Tune.
O’connor died yesterday morning, his family confirmed via his agent.
O’connor's comedy career started out in working men’s clubs, however he broke into television on shows including The Comedians and Opportunity Knocks.
He then went on to establish himself as a household name through the 1970s and 1980s including in Pick Pockets and The Zodiac Game.
O'connor hosted Name That Tune from 1976 until 1983.
His career also saw him appearing at the Royal Variety Show at the London Palladium and being the subject of This Is Your Life.
Later in his career O’connor continued to appear on television, starring in BBC soap Doctors in the early 2000s and the celebrity edition of Come Dine With Me in 2010.
In 2011 he also appeared on the Pointless Celebrities quiz show with his daughter-in-law Denise Lewis, who is a former Olympic athlete.
O'connor also made appearances as a guest in Countdown's dictionary corner and received an award from the Channel 4 quiz for being the first to mark 100 appearances on the show.
In a video on his website, O'connor said: "When I grew up as a kid in wartime Merseyside, I never dreamed I'd have a career that started as a schoolteacher, went to folk singer, then country and western singer, stand-up talker and TV presenter. I've been lucky."
Lewis said she had watched his TV shows with her mother
on Saturday nights and when she first met him, was overwhelmed at how sweet, genuine and kind he was.
"It was exactly the person we saw on TV day and night," she added.
Liverpool City Council paid tribute to O’connor in a post on its official Twitter page.
“Sad news breaking about the death of veteran Liverpool comedian Tom O'connor,” it said.
“Our thoughts are with his family and friends. Thanks for the laughs, Tom.”
TV presenter Piers Morgan also paid tribute to O'connor.
"RIP Tom O'connor, 81. Comedian, TV game show host, Liverpool legend & a very funny man," he tweeted.
"Sad news. Thanks for all the laughs, Tom."
BBC Breakfast host Dan Walker tweeted: "How sad. I had the pleasure of meeting Tom O'connor and he was kind, funny and a true gent.
"I loved watching him on telly - Crosswits was great. My sympathies are with his family and friends."
Former Eastenders actor Stuart Anthony wrote on Twitter: "Very sad to hear that Tom O'connor has passed away. He was a lovely man with some great stories."
O’connor leaves a wife and four children, as well as 16 grandchildren and a greatgranddaughter.
His son added: "Tom was famously known for a brand of humour that was 100 per cent clean and always totally family friendly."