Tributes have been paid to comedian, writer and director Mel Smith, who died of a heart attack at the age of 60. Smith was best known as one half of the comedy duo with Griff Rhys Jones and for his work on shows such as Not the Nine O'Clock News.
Fellow comedian Rowan Atkinson said: 'Mel Smith - a lovely man of whom I saw too little in his later years. I loved the sketches that we did together on Not the Nine O'Clock News. He was the cast member with whom I felt the most natural performing empathy.' Atkinson also praised Smith's directing work on the first Mr Bean film, which grossed $245 million at the box office.
Griff Rhys Jones, Smith's longtime comedy partner, said: 'Life was always exciting around Mel. He was my friend and business partner for many years and had extraordinary natural talent with the rare gift of wearing it lightly. Being funny came naturally to him, so much so that he never seemed to give it a second thought.'
Other figures from the comedy world paid their respects. Comedian John Cleese said: 'I still can't believe this has happened. To everybody who ever met him, Mel was a force for life. He had a relish for it that seemed utterly inexhaustible.' Stephen Fry added: 'Mel Smith's contribution to British comedy cannot be overstated. On screen, he helped to define a new style of comedy from the late 1970s that continues to influence people to this day.'
Smith's work as a producer through his company Talkback, co-founded with Rhys Jones, helped create many defining comedy shows of recent decades. His death has been widely mourned across the entertainment industry.
