My brief tribute to the legend that is Rik Mayall

Rik Mayall was a famous British comedian, actor and writer who was known for his outrageous and hilarious characters. He was born on March 7, 1958 in Harlow, Essex, England. He studied drama at the University of Manchester, where he met his friend and collaborator Ade Edmondson. They performed together as a comedy duo called 20th Century Coyote at the Comedy Store in London. Mayall also created a character called Rick, a pompous anarchist poet, who later inspired his role in The Young Ones.

The Young Ones was a groundbreaking sitcom that aired from 1982 to 1984 on BBC Two. It featured Mayall as Rick, Edmondson as Vyvyan, Nigel Planer as Neil and Christopher Ryan as Mike, four students who shared a chaotic house in London. The show was written by Mayall, Edmondson, Ben Elton and Lise Mayer, and it mixed absurd humour, social satire, slapstick and musical guests. It became a cult classic and influenced many comedians and writers.

Mayall also starred in other popular comedy shows, such as The Comic Strip Presents, Blackadder, Filthy Rich & Catflap, The New Statesman and Bottom. He also appeared in movies, such as Drop Dead Fred, Guest House Paradiso and An American Werewolf in London. He won an Emmy Award for his voice work in The Willows in Winter. He was known for his energetic and anarchic style of comedy, and his ability to make people laugh with his facial expressions, gestures and voice.

Mayall died suddenly at his home in London on June 9, 2014, at the age of 561. He was married to Barbara Robbin, and they had three children: Rosie, Sidney and Bonnie. He was loved and admired by many fans, friends and colleagues, who paid tribute to him in various ways. He was described as a "truly brilliant" comedian, a "fireball of creative comic energy" and a "legend". He left behind a legacy of laughter and joy.
Rest in peace, Rik.