Comments on: Comedian Linda Smith dies of cancer

Comedian Linda Smith dies of cancer

ceri richard — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 10:23:45 -0800

British comedian Linda Smith dies of cancer. Linda Smith, president of the Humanist society and a regular on BBC Radio 4's flagship comedy shows such as The News Quiz and Just A Minute, plus her own A Brief History of Timewasting, her wonderfully deadpan style and the ability to transform moaning into an art form will be missed by many.

By: Jofus

Jofus — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 10:29:20 -0800

By: Huw

Huw — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 10:33:48 -0800

There will be a tribute edition of The News Quiz this Friday at 18.30 on R4.

By: greycap

greycap — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 10:43:19 -0800

By: Grangousier

Grangousier — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 10:54:56 -0800

. Very, very sad.

By: jack_mo

jack_mo — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 10:57:52 -0800

Sad news.

By: terrymiles

terrymiles — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 10:58:27 -0800

Hah! So ends the life of another alternative someone much younger and more famous but so much more talented, attractive, intelligent, female, courageous, funny, more happily married and more opposed to the Iraq thing. Life and secret ovarian cancer are often such absolute shit. Thankyou Linda. You made me laugh and laugh and think and laugh again. Just can't believe it. Howcome Nicolas Parsons just carries on? No ovaries I suppose...

By: cillit bang

cillit bang — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 11:02:25 -0800

By: brilliantmistake

brilliantmistake — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 11:13:27 -0800

By: Lanark

Lanark — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 11:17:45 -0800

Fellow comedian Mark Steel will pay tribute to Linda on tonight's Front Row - Radio 4 at 7.15 UK time (now) Available as a download.

By: cillit bang

cillit bang — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 11:18:57 -0800

(though I consider her an enabler for a million crappy BBC panel shows, so maybe there's some good that can come of this)

By: fvw

fvw — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 11:28:29 -0800

True, she enabled crappy BBC panel shows, but she also enriched the absolutely wonderful BBC panel shows. I'm going to listen to dig up an ISIRTA or JAM with her to commemorate I think. She'll be sorely missed.

By: Len

Len — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 11:30:32 -0800

That's, um, rubbish. I'll miss her on the News Quiz and Just A Minute.

By: crabintheocean

crabintheocean — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 11:34:50 -0800

Wow. This makes me realize how long I've been away from Britain, and how central her voice on Radio 4 is to my memories of growing up there. Saturday family lunches won't be the same next time I visit. I also saw her speak about more serious stuff, and she was always great.

By: penguin pie

penguin pie — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 11:37:45 -0800

. I had no idea she was President of the British Humanist Society. She always made me laugh, in an easy listening kind of way - kind of like sitting round with your mates and having a giggle. When you heard her name on the introduction to a radio show, you'd sit back and relax, knowing you were about to have, not a riotous, but a pleasant and enjoyable half-hour.

By: teleskiving

teleskiving — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 12:07:40 -0800

Her interview on Devout Sceptics is available from the BBC website but the link seems to be busy at the moment. I fondly remember her on HIGNFY, specifically her comment to William Hague when he was hosting, "I remember you now! You're from that political party from the olden days!", and for giving Neil Kinnock a hard time for failing to beat John Major in 1992. A Brief History of Timewasting was also good, I liked her death-obsessed elderly Welsh neighbour - "Come on, I haven't got all day. Well, I have but after that it's touch and go." Any time she was on you could be confident of a few really big laughs. She will be missed.

By: punilux

punilux — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 12:30:22 -0800

Sorely missed. .

By: crustygeek

crustygeek — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 12:31:01 -0800

Very sad news. I remember her most fondly as Hilly/Holly in Red Dwarf. Such a funny lady and I will miss her. .

By: hardcode

hardcode — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 13:02:45 -0800

Holly was Hattie Hayridge, not Linda Smith

By: crustygeek

crustygeek — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 13:16:53 -0800

Crap - you're right. I have no idea why I just mixed up those two comedians. Linda Smith was by far the better comedian, with a much sharper wit.

By: Pallas Athena

Pallas Athena — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 13:25:04 -0800

Hey, don't be hating on the Hattie. I think she and Smith are/were both brilliant. Farewell Linda, you are missed.

By: apocalypse miaow

apocalypse miaow — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 13:42:46 -0800

I met her. She was lovely. .

By: Decani

Decani — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 15:18:41 -0800

Jesus. I didn't even know she was ill. I liked her a lot.

By: tapeguy

tapeguy — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 15:37:37 -0800

Fellow comedian Mark Steel will pay tribute to Linda on tonight's Front Row - Radio 4 at 7.15 UK time (now) Available as a download. Where's the download?

By: ceri richard

ceri richard — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 16:50:07 -0800

Where's the download? Here (but you'll have to listen before 19:15 GMT on Wednesday when it will be replaced by that evening's edition.

By: ceri richard

ceri richard — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 16:51:01 -0800

~~(but you'll have to listen before 19:15 GMT on Wednesday when it will be replaced by that evening's edition.~~ Correction, it'll be available for the next week.

By: Acey

Acey — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 17:50:32 -0800

By: nickyskye

nickyskye — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 22:30:26 -0800

By: Wilder

Wilder — Wed, 01 Mar 2006 01:31:32 -0800

. Huge loss

By: ceri richard

ceri richard — Wed, 01 Mar 2006 06:23:45 -0800

Obituaries: Jeremy Hardy in The Guardian She was born at Erith in Kent, a town of which she said: "It's not twinned with anywhere, but it does have a suicide pact with Dagenham." Mark Steel in the Independent: In 2002, Radio 4 held a poll to see who their listeners felt was the "wittiest person on the planet". The overwhelming winner was Linda Smith - a regular on such programmes as I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue and The News Quiz. The voters made a fine choice. For example, a group of us were watching the Euro 2004 final, which was won by Greece. As the Greek captain received the trophy, Linda said, "We'll have that in the British Museum by the end of the week claiming it's ours." Linda Smith's everyday conversation contained more jokes than most comedy scripts and more social comment than most dramas.

By: ninthart

ninthart — Wed, 01 Mar 2006 09:33:50 -0800

Aw, shit. What crappy news. I'm off to listen to A Brief History of Timewasting again...

By: Sparx

Sparx — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 01:30:25 -0800

fvw: was she on ISIRTA? Not being in Britain it's hard to place her, but I know some of that stuff backwards. She sounds lovely, though. Best of luck to her karmically. .