Comedian Gareth Richards dies after car crash

Comedian Gareth Richards has died pursuing a car accident.

The erstwhile co-host of the Frank Skinner Show connected Absolute Radio died connected Friday aft being progressive successful a clang connected 27 March.

In a statement, his woman Laura said the 41-year-old suffered superior encephalon injuries and it was a "miracle that helium arrived astatine the infirmary alive".

Scans aboriginal revealed the harm to his encephalon was truthful terrible helium had to beryllium taken disconnected beingness support.

She said their sons are "bearing up well" and thanked radical for their enactment and kindness.

"There volition beryllium details of the ceremonial and different ways to retrieve Gareth to follow, arsenic I cognize that helium was good loved. At the infinitesimal the grief is simply a batch to header with."

Richards had been a stand-up comedian since 2004, featuring astatine the Edinburgh Fringe 10 times and connected a assortment of BBC TV and vigor drama programmes.

He co-hosted connected Absolute Radio with Skinner and Emily Dean for 2 years.

Last week, Skinner broke down unrecorded connected aerial talking astir Richards, telling listeners that the show's squad did not privation to spell connected aerial without mentioning his friend.

Describing Richards arsenic a "fantastic bloke", Skinner said helium had been booked pursuing an archetypal "rubbish" aviator for the programme 14-years-ago.

"We couldn't bash it, and we got a impermanent connected the adjacent one, who was Gareth Richards who was superb connected present and we asked him to bash the show, truthful for the archetypal fewer years it was me, Em and Gareth."

Since his death, tributes to him person travel successful from friends and admirers successful the drama industry.

Jason Manford said helium was "devastated", describing Richards arsenic a " wonderfully inventive & comic comedian but much importantly a benignant & thoughtful man".

Rhys James said helium was a "giant of gag writing" who was "lovely and hilarious helium was offstage arsenic good arsenic on".

He added: "A pleasance to cognize and an honour to dice connected my arse alongside astatine immoderate existent stinker web gigs backmost successful the day."