Kelly Monteith: US comic who had own UK show dies at 80

Kelly Monteith, the US stand-up comic who besides had his ain UK BBC show, has died astatine the property of 80.

Monteith's decease was announced connected Tuesday by The Anglophlile Channel, an LA accumulation institution which worked with him successful caller years.

He roseate to fame successful the UK aft respective appearances connected The Des O'Connor Show.

This led to his self-titled BBC bid which ran for six bid betwixt 1979 and 1984. Monteith suffered a changeable successful 2021 and died successful Los Angeles connected Sunday.

Monteith was the 1 of the archetypal American comedians to get his ain amusement connected the BBC. In America, helium starred successful 2 bid connected CBS called The Kelly Monteith Show and The Hit Squad.

Actor Sanjeev Kohli paid tribute to the US comic connected Twitter, writing: "Sad quality astir Kelly Monteith. Funny, personable & (like Dave Allen) mode up of his time. Judging from the absorption connected present helium was a bigger power than helium ever knew."

Screenwrtier and comedian Bennett Arron recalled: "A fewer years agone I said successful an interrogation that, on with Morecambe and Wise, Tommy Cooper and my father, helium was 1 of my favourite comedians. He heard astir it, got successful interaction and thanked me."

The comic besides made much than 40 appearances connected The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and Jay Leno arsenic good arsenic The Late Show with David Letterman.

Leno erstwhile described Monteith arsenic a comedian who was "always highly clever, highly funny. One of the benchmarks. For those of america of a definite generation, Kelly was the guy."

His fondness for the UK was partially owed to the information helium met his aboriginal woman Caroline there.

Monteith often said that 1 of the highlights of his vocation was performing for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II astatine the Royal Variety Performance successful 1983.