Comedian, improviser and impressionist suffers fatal heart attack

John Sessions, who came to prominence as an improviser on Whose Line Is It Anyway? in the 1980s has died at the age of 67.

He died at home after suffering a heart attack yesterday, his agent has said.

A talented impersonator, the comic and actor also lent his voice to  Spitting Image and co-created and conceived cult comedy Stella Street.

His acting roles included Outnumbered, The Iron Lady, where he played Edward Heath and  We're Doomed! The Dad's Army Story, where he was Arthur Lowe. and he appeared on himself on shows such as. Have I Got News For You and QI.

The official QI Twitter feed today noted: ‘John Sessions was a panellist on QI's first ever episode: Series A, Episode One, Adam. His incredible wit and encyclopaedic knowledge played a huge part in the show's history and everyone at QI is deeply saddened to learn of his passing.’

Comedy writer David Quantick added: ‘This is very sad news. John Sessions was a great talent.’

Others who played tribute included actor Samuel West, who posted: 'Shit shit shit. Hate that John Sessions has gone. World so much better with him in it. Lucky to work with him several times. Brain the size of Swindon. So full of life and stories and contradictions and possibilities and love for the job of acting. Goodnight, dear man x'

Rory Bremner said: 'Jeez. Another one. John Sessions. Just the best, he’d blow everyone away on Whose Line with his speed of thought & breadth of reference. Utterly absorbed by Hollywood, its characters and stories, brilliant raconteur, genius mimic. A flash of brilliance just went out.'

And comic actor Sanjeev Bhaskar said: ‘Very sorry to hear of the passing of John Sessions.  Always warm and fun company and amazing improv ability.'

Born John Marshall in  Largs, Ayrshire in 1953 he discovered a love for comedy while studying for his English literature degree at the University College of North Wales in Bangor, then attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (Rada) alongside Kenneth Branagh.

He staged a one-man semi-improvised stage show, Napoleon, which in London's West End in the mid-1980s, before appearing in the radio version of  Whose Line Is It Anyway?and the first three series of the TV version.

He went on to have three of his own TV comedy series in the late 1980s and early 1990s: John Sessions, John Sessions' Tall Tales and John Sessions' Likely Stories.

Sessions was outed as gay  in a 1994 Evening Standard article while starring in the comedy My Night with Reg, a play set in London's gay community

He was also a Eurosceptic, who once said: 'Nigel Farage talks more sense than the rest of the politicians put together. The United States of Europe is madness.’

Click here for some of John Sessions' memorable screen appearances.

Published: 3 Nov 2020