Jimmy Cricket dead at 80: Legendary comedian passes away following short illness as his family honour their 'forever clown' for his 'courage, dignity and positivity'

Northern Irish comedian Jimmy Cricket has passed away aged 80, it was announced on Monday. 

The funnyman, who found fame in the 70s, was set to take to the stage for a tour in Autumn, however a note shared on his website read: 'I have to take a little sabbatical for health reasons and have started treatment.' 

Jimmy was renowned for his catchphrase 'And there's more! and Come closer!' and famously wore Wellington boots marked with L and R on the wrong feet.

A statement released by Jimmy's family read: '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. 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.'

Jimmy's good friend and fellow comedian Freddie ‘Parrot Face’ Davies paid tribute, 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. 

Tributes appeared on X, with one user sharing an image of Jimmy on the front of TV Times in 1985 alongside the caption: 'Just heard that Jimmy Cricket died this morning after complications with cancer surgery'. 

Born in Cookstown in County Tyrone, the former Butlin's red coat entertainer, whose real name is James Joseph Mulgrew, became a household name in the 1970s.

In 2015, Jimmy was awarded the Roman Catholic Church's highest honour by Pope Francis and revealed the honour came 'right out of the blue'.

Jimmy toured the UK with artists including The Osmonds, Brotherhood of Man, and comedians including Paul Daniels and The Krankies.

His show And There’s More was produced by Central Television and he later had his own radio series for BBC Radio 2 called Jimmy’s Cricket Team.

Other notable TV appearances include Bullseye in 1984, being the subject of This Is Your Life and as one of the performers in the Comic Relief cover of Im Gonna Be (500 miles).

He said: 'The parish priest arrived and took out this certificate - it was a papal knighthood and it was in Latin. I thought: 'He's got the wrong fella here, is he sure it's not the neighbour?'He said he was 'humbled and honoured' by the recognition.

'I do what I love. If I can raise money by entertaining people, sure it's not hard work. To get an honour for doing something that you love is quite a blessing.'

Jimmy told fans on his website that he was taking a sabbatical to undergo treatment for 'health reasons' earlier this year.

'He wrote: 'Hi there my friends. I have to take a little sabbatical for health reasons and have started treatment, so I hope to catch up with you all via live performances in the Autumn of 2026'.