Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
National
Luke Traynor

Cause of death of Merseyside comedian Freddie Starr confirmed by doctors

Comedian Freddie Starr died of heart disease, a post-mortem has confirmed.

Huyton-born Starr, 76, a household name who rose to fame in the 1970s, was found dead at his home in Spain on Thursday.

The results showed the comedian, who suffered a major heart attack in April 2010 and underwent quadruple heart bypass surgery, died of natural causes.

Dr Sebastian Diaz, director of Malaga province's Institute of Legal Medicine, said in a statement: "The only thing I can tell you about Mr Freddie Starr's death is that his death was the result of a natural process, and specifically an ischemic heart disease."

His manager appeared to confirm the news in a post on Facebook and Twitter pages claiming to belong to Starr, who was once lead singer of the Merseybeat pop group Midniters.

Traumatised mum shares horrific pictures after vicious attackers stamp on her head  

The post said: "This is Freddie's manager just to confirm Freddie has passed away."

The comedian was known by fans for his eccentric and often unpredictable behaviour, rising to national prominence in the early 1970s after appearing on Opportunity Knocks.

Starr's fellow comic Jim Davidson was among those paying tribute to the Merseyside-born personality.

He tweeted: "Just heard the news. Freddie Starr was the greatest."

Firm where employee crushed to death by huge plastic bales fined £120,000  

Actor Bobby Davro called Starr the "most naturally funny man I've ever seen".

He told Good Morning Britain on Friday: "I might have been one of the last people to speak to him."

Davro continued: "I went over to Spain to do a couple of gigs last year. Someone said he was living in that place in Spain. I got in touch with him, I got hold of his number and phoned him up.

Freddie Starr outside his home in Warwickshire in 2014 (PA Wire)

"I want to remember the Freddie we all remembered. Rest in peace, Freddie.

He was fantastic."

TV presenter Amanda Holden said she hoped Starr was "remembered with a smile".

Writing on Twitter, she said: "Sad to hear of Freddie Starr passing today. His style may have fallen out of comedy fashion & favour-but it's important to recognise his once huge popularity& fame."

Britain's Got Talent host Holden, 48, said Starr's parodies were "outrageous and edgy".

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.