30 years after his fatal cardiac arrest

The British Heart Foundation is using Tommy Cooper in a new advertising campaign for cardiac health.

Cooper died of a heart attack in 1984, at the age of 63, during a live TV performance from Her Majesty’s Theatre.

Now the charity is using his image as it reminds heart patients to stick to prescribed routines, and for everyone else to seek help if anything seems wrong. Ads also include a helpline number people can to call ‘just like that’.

Radio ads featuring classic Cooper jokes will run alongside the magazine campaign this month, while the foundation’s website features clips of his routines.

As part of the campaign, Cooper’s daughter Vicky said: ‘Showbusiness took its toll on him. His main priority was always his audience, and everything else – including his health – came second. r Prostate Cancer Research's ‘He had lots of warning signs with strange aches and pains in his legs, chest pains, and lots of headaches. But he never went to the doctor. He always said ‘after this rehearsal’ or “after I’ve learnt this script”.

‘He had his life snatched away from him but it could have been avoided. My advice now is always that you shouldn’t delay. Don’t keep making excuses. If you think something might be wrong, get yourself checked. You’re not being a nuisance.’

The campaign follows the success of Prostate Cancer Research's use of a ‘beyond-the-grave’ Bob Monkhouse to raise awareness of its cause.

The British Heart Foundation charity’s helpline is 0300 333 1333.

Published: 1 Jun 2012