Jimmy Cricket obit

Jimmy Cricket dead: BBC star and comedian dies as heartbroken family pay tribute

His family announced his death on social media.

 He was not on the list.

Legendary comedian Jimmy Cricket has died at the age of 80. Jimmy – real name James Mulgrew – passed away surrounded by his loved ones following a short illness, his family announced in a statement on Facebook. They wrote: "Our beloved Jimmy has passed away this morning after a short illness. He spent his last few days surrounded by his family, love, laughter and songs. Jimmy brought so much laughter and happiness to countless audiences in his career over the years. Whether on stage, screen or radio, or if you met him in person as well.

"But that was nothing to the happiness he gave to his family. A devoted husband to May for fifty two years. Jimmy's family continued: "A wonderful dad to his four children and very silly grandad indeed to his four grandchildren. He was our greatest champion and loved us all loudly. He also just loved people and he absolutely loved being a stand up comedian. What a life he lived.

"Forever our clown, he was cracking jokes to the wonderful NHS staff and to us all, right until the end. His courage, dignity and positivity through all he endured was inspirational. A force for joy, we are just all very sad that the world is a far less sillier place today."

"We were going to end by using his famous catchphrase and say, ‘There’s no More’. But Jimmy was a man of great faith and a Papal Knight of the Catholic Church. He believed that death is not the end and was looking forward to eternity, so really…And there’s more."

The Northern Irish comedian first rose to prominence in the 1970s, working as a Bluecoat at Pontins in Southport and Morecambe.

He fronted four shows on the TV series And There's More, named after his best-known catchphrase, from 1985 to 1988. He also hosted the BBC Radio 2 series Jimmy's Cricket Team during the 90s.

Other notable television appearances included Bullseye in 1984, being the subject of This Is Your Life, and performing on the Comic Relief charity single, a cover of I'm Gonna Be (500 miles).

Jimmy toured the UK with other notable performers throughout his career, including The Osmonds, Brotherhood of Man, magician Paul Daniels and comedy duo The Krankies.

He was planning to tour in August, however, revealed on his website that he had to take a step back for health reasons. He wrote: "I have to take a little sabbatical for health reasons and have started treatment."

Jimmy's close friend and fellow comedian Freddie 'Parrot Face' Davies has paid an emotional tribute to the late star, saying: "Jimmy Cricket (James Mulgrew) was a dear friend and we were in contact many times over the years. Jimmy started like me, as a Butlin Redcoat...

"Our paths crossed many many times over the years. In 2023 I asked him to join us for the show ‘Legends of Variety’, but he was too busy doing his own show...

"The Christmas of 2014 I was asked to direct ‘Snow White’. At the Charter Theatre Preston, Jimmy was the star of the show...

"He was a delight to work with and his gentle comedy was a relaxing change. One always felt comfortable in his company. His adoring wife May was always at his side and he lovingly referred to her as Mrs. Cricket...

"The last time I saw him was at a Ken Dodd memorial lunch in Liverpool last December where he had the packed audience in hysterical laughter with his wonderful Irishness...

"He was a true funny Bones comic, a throw back to Variety days. I will miss you Jim, god bless you and RIP."

Jimmy had four children with May, his wife of 52 years, and four grandchildren.

 

Actor

Jimmy Cricket: Pull Your Seat Forward (2009)

Jimmy Cricket: Pull Your Seat Forward

Video

2009

 

Best of British Variety (2009)

Best of British Variety

Video

2009

 

Eddie Large and Syd Little in The Little and Large Show (1978)

The Little and Large Show

5.1

TV Series

1989

1 episode

 

Cinderella: The Shoe Must Go On (1986)

Cinderella: The Shoe Must Go On

6.2

TV Movie

Buttons

1986

 

The Krankies Klub

6.7

TV Series

1982–1984

 

Thanks

Stephanie Beacham, Hayley Mills, Amanda Barrie, Tony Christie, Noel Cronin, Julian Dutton, Anita Harris, Bonnie Langford, Siân Phillips, Robert Powell, Mike Read, Andre Vincent, Bernie Clifton, Mal Pope, Jimmy Cricket, Ray Dorset, The Daisy Belles, The Llantrisant Male Voice Choir, The Nolans, Steve Hewlett, and The George Formby Society in New Year's Eve with Mike, Noel and Friends (2025)

New Year's Eve with Mike, Noel and Friends

TV Special

with special thanks to

2025

 

Self

Womble Movie

Self

Post-production

 

Stephanie Beacham, Hayley Mills, Amanda Barrie, Tony Christie, Noel Cronin, Julian Dutton, Anita Harris, Bonnie Langford, Siân Phillips, Robert Powell, Mike Read, Andre Vincent, Bernie Clifton, Mal Pope, Jimmy Cricket, Ray Dorset, The Daisy Belles, The Llantrisant Male Voice Choir, The Nolans, Steve Hewlett, and The George Formby Society in New Year's Eve with Mike, Noel and Friends (2025)

New Year's Eve with Mike, Noel and Friends

TV Special

Self

2025

 

Pointless Celebrities (2010)

Pointless Celebrities

6.4

TV Series

Self - Contestant

2020

1 episode

 

Roy Walker in Roy Walker: Beyond A Joke (2019)

Roy Walker: Beyond A Joke

Self

2019

 

Richard Herring in Richard Herring's Leicester Square Theatre Podcast (2012)

Richard Herring's Leicester Square Theatre Podcast

8.5

Podcast Series

Self

2019

1 episode

 

Stephen Nolan in Nolan Live (2007)

Nolan Live

2.8

TV Series

Self

2015

1 episode

 

John Bishop's Only Joking

5.9

TV Series

Self

2013

7 episodes

 

Blackpool: Big Night Out (2012)

Blackpool: Big Night Out

8.0

TV Movie

Self

2012

 

Peter Kay, Matt Lucas, and The Proclaimers in Comic Relief (I'm Gonna Be) 500 Miles (2007)

Comic Relief (I'm Gonna Be) 500 Miles

7.4

TV Movie

Self - Dinner Party Guest

2007

 

Tonight at the London Palladium

TV Series

Self

2000

1 episode

 

The Big Stage

TV Series

Self

2000

1 episode

 

Comic Asides

TV Series

Self

1999–2000

 

Talking Telephone Numbers

6.3

TV Series

Self

1997

1 episode

 

Goggle Watch (1996)

Goggle Watch

TV Series

Self

1997

1 episode

 

Bruce Forsyth in The Generation Game (1971)

The Generation Game

6.6

TV Series

Self - Guest Star

1996

1 episode

 

House Party! (1996)

House Party!

6.6

Video

Self

1996

 

Bob Monkhouse in Celebrity Squares (1975)

Celebrity Squares

5.4

TV Series

Self

1995–1996

2 episodes

 

Cilla Black in Surprise! Surprise! (1984)

Surprise! Surprise!

5.1

TV Series

Self

1984–1995

3 episodes

 

Pebble Mill at One (1972)

Pebble Mill at One

6.2

TV Series

Self

1994

1 episode

 

The Children's Royal Variety Performance (1993)

The Children's Royal Variety Performance

TV Special

Self

1993

 

The 8-15 from Manchester (1990)

The 8-15 from Manchester

6.7

TV Series

Self

1991

1 episode

 

The Noel Edmonds Saturday Roadshow (1988)

The Noel Edmonds Saturday Roadshow

7.1

TV Series

Self

1989–1990

3 episodes

 

A Tribute to Terry Thomas (1990)

A Tribute to Terry Thomas

TV Movie

Self

1990

 

Children's Royal Variety Performance (1990)

Children's Royal Variety Performance

TV Special

Self

1990

 

Eamonn Andrews in This Is Your Life (1955)

This Is Your Life

6.4

TV Series

Self

1985–1990

4 episodes

 

Saturday Night Out (1988)

Saturday Night Out

TV Series

Self

1989

1 episode

 

The Joke Machine

TV Series

Self - Host

1989

1 episode

 

Children's Royal Variety Performance

TV Special

Self

1989

 

A Night of Comic Relief 2

8.0

TV Special

Self

1989

 

Live from the Palladium (1987)

Live from the Palladium

TV Series

Self

1987–1988

2 episodes

 

A Question of Entertainment (1988)

A Question of Entertainment

TV Series

Self

1988

1 episode

 

And There's More

4.8

TV Series

SelfSelf - VariousSelf - Various Characters

1985–1988

24 episodes

 

Children's Royal Variety Performance (1988)

Children's Royal Variety Performance

TV Special

Self

1988

 

It's Wicked! (1987)

It's Wicked!

TV Series

Self

1987

1 episode

 

Terry Wogan in Wogan (1982)

Wogan

6.2

TV Series

Self

1987

1 episode

 

Des O'Connor Tonight (1977)

Des O'Connor Tonight

5.7

TV Series

Self

1983–1986

2 episodes

 

New Faces (1973)

New Faces

5.7

TV Series

Self - North East Results Announcer (uncredited)

1986

1 episode

 

The Saturday Picture Show

TV Series

Self

1986

1 episode

 

Emu's All Live Pink Windmill Show (1984)

Emu's All Live Pink Windmill Show

7.3

TV Series

Self

1986

1 episode

 

Tom O'Connor (1984)

Tom O'Connor

6.7

TV Series

Self

1986

1 episode

 

Bob Monkhouse in The Bob Monkhouse Show (1983)

The Bob Monkhouse Show

5.4

TV Series

Self

1986

1 episode

 

Children's Royal Variety Performance

TV Special

Self

1985

 

Sunday, Sunday (1982)

Sunday, Sunday

TV Series

Self

1985

1 episode

 

Children's ITV (1983)

Children's ITV

6.9

TV Series

Self - Presenter

1985

1 episode

 

Ted Rogers and Dusty Bin in 3-2-1 (1978)

3-2-1

5.3

TV Series

Self - Guest Star

1985

1 episode

 

Blankety Blank (1978)

Blankety Blank

6.3

TV Series

Self

1985

1 episode

 

Bullseye (1981)

Bullseye

7.1

TV Series

Self - Special Guest

1985

1 episode

 

The Railway Carriage Game (1985)

The Railway Carriage Game

TV Series

Self

1985

1 episode

 

King Charles III and Princess Diana in Royal Variety Performance 1984 (1984)

Royal Variety Performance 1984

9.4

TV Special

Self

1984

 

Michael Aspel, Lionel Blair, and Una Stubbs in Give Us a Clue (1979)

Give Us a Clue

7.1

TV Series

Self - Panellist

1984

1 episode

 

The Children's Royal Variety Performance

TV Special

Self

1984

 

Live from Her Majesty's (1982)

Live from Her Majesty's

6.4

TV Series

Self

1984

1 episode

 

Eddie Large and Syd Little in The Little and Large Show (1978)

The Little and Large Show

5.1

TV Series

Self

1983

1 episode

 

Punchlines (1981)

Punchlines

5.4

TV Series

Self

1983

2 episodes

 

Entertainment Express

TV Series

Self

1983

1 episode

 

The Good Old Days (1953)

The Good Old Days

6.8

TV Series

Self - Performer

1981–1983

3 episodes

 

The Main Attraction (1983)

The Main Attraction

TV Series

Self

1983

1 episode

 

Starburst (1980)

Starburst

TV Series

Self

1982–1983

3 episodes

 

The Keith Harris Show (1982)

The Keith Harris Show

5.3

TV Series

Self

1983

1 episode

 

The Children's Royal Variety Performance (1983)

The Children's Royal Variety Performance

TV Special

Self

1983

 

Knees-Up (1982)

Knees-Up

6.7

TV Series

Self

1982

1 episode

 

Crackerjack! (1955)

Crackerjack!

6.6

TV Series

Self - Guest

1982

1 episode

 

Search for a Star (1979)

Search for a Star

TV Series

Self - Contestant

1980

2 episodes

 

Archive Footage

Comedy Classics of the 80's

Video

Self (archive footage)

1991