Pioneer of the pre-alternative scene

Bob Williamson, one of the pioneering generation of folk-club comedians, has died at the age of 67.

The Bolton-born entertainer worked alongside Jasper Carrott, Mike Harding and Billy Connolly in the 1970s and released three album: Superturn (Sweet Folk All), Greatest Hits Volume 6 and Still Hazy After All These Beers.

He combined jokes with song parodies, including Kippers For Tea, which reworked Brotherhood Of Man's Kisses For Me to be about the 'cod war' with Iceland.

On TV,h was a regular on The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club, and also had brief roles in Coronation Street, playing a comedy folk singer, and Phoenix Nights, when his act twice failed to impress Peter Kay's Brian Potter in an end-of-episode audition scenes.

He had to cut back on his live work after sustaining a back injury falling down the stairs, and turned to writing scripts for TV, radio, and fellow comics – including an idea he was developing with the late Hovis Presley, about a man travelling around Ireland using only the map on a tea towel.

In his early sixties, Williamson was diagnosed with a debilitating blood disorder, which led to his death this weekend.

Writing an obituary on Chortle, comic Tony Kinsella said: 'Williamson's forte was old-school gags and anecdotes, punctuated by parodies.[He] also proved a dab hand at writing original material, like his twisted love song to Mavis Pilchard, or his trademark storytelling ballads of the man caught taking a wee on Candid Camera.

'The sadness of his passing is slightly lifted by his performance legacy.'

Published: 22 Jun 2016