Miss you Baz! Chuckle Brother’s tearful farewell to comic partner

CHILDREN’S TV comedian Paul Chuckle wiped away tears yesterday as he carried his brother Barry’s coffin, topped with his goodbye note reading: “Miss you, Baz.”

Barry Chuckle, 73, real name Barry Elliott, died on August 5 after a twoyear battle with bone cancer.

The lifelong Rotherham United FC fan and married father-of-two found fame on the BBC alongside younger brother Paul, 70, as the Chuckle Brothers.

Shattered Paul was left in tears by the funeral service, saying he was “totally devastated at the death of my brother, partner and best pal”.

As the cortege arrived for the service at Rotherham’s New York stadium, hundreds of fans gathered outside to applaud, shouting the duo’s catchphrase “To me, to you” .

One youngster travelled with his father from Birmingham to pay his respects.

Alfie, 10, said: “I first went to see them at a pantomime in Wolverhampton around two years ago and became a megafan.

“I just love them and every morning I’m watching their episodes of Chucklevision. It has never got old. Everybody loves them. They’ve got a really good comedy, they’re funny and they just made people laugh.”

Also among the mourners was Barbra Gamston, 86, who arrived on a mobility scooter with the sign: “To a Yorkshire lad from a Yorkshire lass. Goodbye, from me to you. RIP xxx.”

The hearse carrying the coffin of The Chuckle Brothers found fame on the BBC after their TV career started in 1967. Right, two fans yesterday wearing tops spelling out the comedy duo’s ‘To me, to you’ catchphrase Barry arrived outside the main reception of the stadium at around 1pm.

A wreath was laid just outside the entrance as close family, including brother Paul, made their way in.

Four men including Paul carried the coffin through the player’s entrance. Crackerjack star Don Maclean, Maureen and Linda Nolan and former EastEnders actor John Altman all arrived to pay their respects.

Maclean, who first met Barry and Paul in 1977 doing a pantomime, said: “Barry on stage was very funny. But off stage he was quite a quiet man with a great depth of thought. He was a man of great intellect. I don’t think today can be a sombre affair. People will be very sad, it’s a terrible thing to think that he had gone.

“But I think there must be laughter. His life was about making people laugh.”

Other famous faces paying tribute