The comedian Tony Slattery, known for his star turn on the British improv comedy series Whose Line Is It Anyway?, has died at the age of 65.
For several years in the 1990s, Slattery was a regular on the Channel 4 show before suddenly unraveling due to drug addiction and mental struggles. He died two days after suffering a heart attack.
"It is with great sadness we must announce actor and comedian Tony Slattery, aged 65, has passed away today, Tuesday morning, following a heart attack on Sunday evening," a statement on behalf of his partner Mark Michael Hutchinson said.
Along with Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry, and Emma Thompson, Slattery was part of a generation of comedians that helped define British entertainment in the 80s and 90s.
Born into a working-class family, Slattery went to Cambridge University on a scholarship and joined the storied Cambridge Footlights comedy troupe.
Known for his fast wit, Slattery appeared on multiple seasons of Channel 4's Whose Line Is It Anyway?, which spawned an American adaptation hosted by Drew Carey.
In 1996, Slattery's career went into a sharp decline and tragically, never fully recovered.
"The overwork, no holidays, no taking a break, eventually you snap, you try to replace it with something. In my case, it was cocaine," he said in a 2019 interview.
"Then the booze came along, then the depression set in... I was drinking two bottles of vodka a day and doing 10 grams of coke."
There were other demons. In 2020, the openly gay comedian confessed to suffering sexual abuse at the hands of a priest during his childhood.
In a tribute to his friend, Stephen Fry lamented the "cruel irony" that Slattery had begun turning his life around when he passed away.
The comedian had recently launched a podcast and was performing live shows.
"A cruel irony that fate should snatch him from us just as he had really begun to emerge from his lifelong battle with so many dark demons. He had started live 'evenings with' and his own podcast series," Fry wrote.
"Lovely, at least, this past year for him to have found to his joyous surprise that he was still remembered and held in great affection."
Slattery also appeared in The Crying Game, Peter’s Friends and How to Get Ahead in Advertising and was nominated for an Oliver Award for best comedy performance for his role in Tim Firth’s Neville’s Island.
