A fundraiser to cover the funeral costs of actor and comedian Tony Slattery, whose death was described as “sudden and unexpected”, has exceeded its £8,000 target. The British star, known for Channel 4’s comedy improvisation show Whose Line Is It Anyway? and comedy shows Just A Minute and Have I Got News For You, died on Tuesday aged 65 following a heart attack, his partner, the actor Mark Michael Hutchinson previously announced.
In 2020, Slattery – who regularly spoke openly about his bipolar disorder – revealed he went bankrupt following a battle with substance abuse and mental health issues. An official crowdfunder for the funeral, which has raised more than £10,000 so far, said it would take “a huge weight off Mark’s shoulders at this miserable time”.
And said he and Slattery had been “looking forward to celebrating their 40th anniversary this year”. “Tony’s death was sudden and unexpected, and sadly he had not made any provisions for his funeral,” the fundraiser said. “Sadly, in later years mental health issues had diminished Tony’s career, but with the unwavering support of his long-term partner, Mark, he made it through the wilderness and was back touring and performing comedy.
“Life was starting to look rosy again when, to the great shock of all who knew him, he suffered a fatal heart attack. “… Because Tony was only just getting back to work, and because his passing was so unexpected, there wasn’t a Plan B in place.”.
