Comic died with little money

Friends of Tony Slattery have launched a crowdfunding page to pay for his funeral.

The Whose Line Is It Anyway? star had little money when he died on Tuesday, at the age of 65, two days after suffering a heart attack.

He had once been declared bankrupt as he struggled with drink and drug abuse at the peak of his fame, and had only recently started making a modest comeback in live comedy.

It means the funeral expenses would prove a huge burden for Mark Michael Hutchinson, his partner who he met while co-starring starring in the musical Me And My Girl in the West End in 1986.

On a Crowdfunder page,  Slattery’s friend and podcast collaborator Allan Lear wrote:  ‘Tony Slattery was a titan of British comedy. 

‘Sadly, in later years mental health issues had diminished Tony's career, but with the unwavering support of his long-term partner, Mark, he made it through the wilderness and was back touring and performing comedy.  

‘Life was starting to look rosy again when, to the great shock of all who knew him, he suffered a fatal heart attack.  Mark and Tony were looking forward to celebrating their fortieth anniversary this year. 

‘Because Tony was only just getting back to work, and because his passing was so unexpected, there wasn't a Plan B in place.   If you could give just a little towards a funeral for Tony, it would be a huge weight of Mark's shoulders at this miserable time.’

Already almost £13,000 has been raised from nearly 600 supporters, against a target of £8,000. 

The official social media channel for the podcast posted: 'We are overwhelmed by everyone's support. Thank you . Few nasty comments but we just block and ignore We are all still pretty raw. Love Team Tony x.'

Slattery, who suffered  bipolar disorder and depression, called Hutchinson his ‘rock’ and gave him credit for keeping him alive. In one interview he said his partner was: ‘Hugely supportive – he’s authentic, real. He means everything to me.’

At his lowest moments Slattery was spending £4,000 a week on his drug habit, taking 10 grams of cocaine and downing two bottles of vodka each day. 

Published: 16 Jan 2025