Comic was battling cancer

Frank Sidebottom has died at the age of 54 after collapsing at his home near Manchester.

The cult comedian, whose real name was Chris Sievey, last month revealed he had cancer and was recovering from an operation to remove a tumour from his chest.

His girlfriend found him at home in Hale, Cheshire, in the early hours of today and called an ambulance, but he was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at Wythenshawe Hospital

Only last week, the character with a papier mached head launched a comedy song for the World Cup, titled Three Shirts On My Line.

When he was diagnosed with the tumour close to his oesophagus, Sidebottom said: ‘Don't worry, I’m not going anywhere just yet, and I’m looking forward to another 25 years in fantastic semi-professional show-bizness

And he told Chortle: ‘I’m looking forward to all my ace concerts. I always give 100 per cent gusto. My fans have been brilliantly supportive.’

But he posted a message on his Twitter account on Sunday morning saying: ‘I'm still feeling very poorly’.

His friend and sometime promoter Mark Alston told the Manchester Evening News: ‘It is just really awful. I just feel in shock. He was a big comedy name in Greater Manchester – one of the biggest.'

His manager Nigel Round said Sievey had underplayed his illness 'to protect everyone': 'It was obviously worse than what he was telling people.'

He added: 'I don't think there will be another one like him.'

Sievey created Sidebottom in the Eighties to help promote a computer game called The Biz which he wrote for the ZX Spectrum, and built up a cult audience on the North-West comedy circuit, which grew through festival and TV appearances.

The character retired in the mid-Nineties, but started making a comeback around five years ago, and recently supported comic poet John Cooper Clarke on his UK tour.

Here he is in concert:

Published: 21 Jun 2010