Comedy Pioneer, Felix Dexter who played the BBC Real McCoy Nigerian character, dies of cancer

  

 

'Hugely talented': Fellow comedians have paid tribute to Felix Dexter

 

Real McCoy star and comedy pioneer Felix Dexter died of cancer last night.

The versatile comic, 52, had been fighting multiple myeloma, which affects the bone marrow.

Tributes flooded in for the St Kitts-born former barrister, whose characters on the 1990s BBC series included Nigerian accountant Nathaniel.

He also starred in The Fast Show and Absolutely Fabulous and was the first black comic to get a regular slot at London's Comedy Store.

Close friend and radio presenter Eddie Nestor said he had kept his sense of humour even in his final hours.

"It's quite weird, you're going to see somebody being diagnosed with a terminal illness and you find yourself laughing, really hard," he told BBC Radio's Up All Night programme.

"It was great to be able to spend some time with him.

"(I was) lying with somebody on their death bed and they're still making jokes."

Nestor said although Dexter was on pain medication, his mind was still sharp and he seemed "really upbeat".

"You try to hold it together when you're in there, but when you come out of that room, it's a different gig," he said.

Loss: David Baddiel said Felix's death would be felt throughout the comedy world

 

Actor David Morrissey said he had worked with Felix and was sad to hear the news. "Such a funny, talented and generous man," he tweeted.

 

Fellow comedian Sean Hughes wrote: "So so sad to hear about the truly wonderful Felix Dexter passing away. I hope you can feel the love in the comedy community fella. Rip."

 

Actor David Schneider remembered Felix's popular character Nathaniel the Accountant on The Real McCoy, which he was perhaps best known for. "Lovely, lovely guy," he posted. "And I think nothing on TV has ever made me laugh more than his Real McCoy Nigerian character."

 

Dexter was once named Time Out Comedian of The Year. He also performed a season with the Royal Shakespeare Company. More recently, Dexter featured in the BBC series Citizen Khan.

 

Comic Meera Syal said: "It's such a huge tragedy for a hugely talented man."
Bill Bailey paid tribute to his "old friend" as a "brilliant comedian, a superb comic actor, a lovely man I fell privileged to have known".

David Baddiel tweeted: "Felix Dexter? Doesn't seem possible. Very funny, very gentle, man: his death is a real loss to comedy."

Matt Lucas said: "So sad to hear about Felix Dexter. A brilliant performer and on the few occasions I was lucky enough to meet him, a very nice man."

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