Comedian and actor Rik Mayall died on Monday morning, a spokesman for his management agency announced today.
The star, who shot to fame playing poetry-writing anarchist Rick in The Young Ones, was 56 and his career included appearances in shows including Blackadder, Bottom and The New Statesman.
He was left seriously ill after a quad bike accident in 1998 which left him in a coma for several days, but was working until recently.
Rik Mayall died on Monday morning
Speaking to the Mirror last year, Mayall revealed the crash left him with a fractured skull and severe haemorrhaging and saw him spend five days on a ventilator.
Making light of the incident, he said: "I beat Jesus Christ. He was dead for three days at Easter. When I crashed it was the day before Good Friday, Crap Thursday, and I was technically dead until Easter Monday - that's five days.
"Jesus was nailed up on Friday and came to on Easter day. I beat him 5-3."
He told the Daily Mail: "The main difference between now and before my accident is I'm just very glad to be alive.
"Other people get moody in their forties and fifties - men get the male menopause. I missed the whole thing. I was just really happy."
A spokesman for Brunskill Management told Huffington Post UK: "We are all devastated and he will be sorely missed by all who knew and loved him"