While appearing in university revue, Barry was offered a week's work at the famous City Varieties Theatre, where he was spotted by a London agent.

His variety work led him to the Windmill Theatre in London, a legendary school for comedians, whose graduates include Sir Harry Secombe and Peter Sellers.

After seven months of six shows a day, six days a week, he left to appear in Expresso Bongo, a musical satirising pop music, and started making records. He was once Number One in Finland.

He then started writing for revues at the Fortune Theatre and for Danny La Rue.

While doing this, he met David Frost who invited him to join the writing roster on The Frost Report.

He has writtengags for some of the true legends of comedy, including Morecambe and Wise, Tommy Cooper, Stanley Baxter, Dick Emery, Dave Allen, Les Dawson, Bob Hope, George Burns, the Two Ronnies, Kenny Everett, Sir Harry Secombe, Billy Connolly, Jasper Carrott and Richard Pryor.

He was made an OBE for services to comedy drama in 2001.