Strictly star Les Dennis recalls seeing comedian Tommy Cooper's on-stage death

18 September 2023 , 23:14

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Strictly star Les Dennis reveals touching memory of late comedian Tommy Cooper's death

Strictly Come Dancing 2023 star Les Dennis has shared a fond recollection of seeing late comic Tommy Cooper perform on stage before his death in 1984.

Tommy, who created a much loved act combining theatre, magic and comedy, died on stage performing to Her Majesty's Theatre in London and to 12 million TV viewers. The star collapsed from a heart attack, which the audience and viewers at home initially believed was a comic part if his act.

Les Dennis alongside his comedy partner at the time Dustin Gee were the act that had to follow Tommy Cooper after his collapse, and it's a moment that's stuck with the star almost 40 years later.

Les Dennis has recalled being the act to follow Tommy Cooper on stage in 1984 after the star's shock death (Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/Getty Images)

One of the nation's best loved comedians Tommy Cooper died in 1984 (Popperfoto via Getty Images)

Speaking to fellow comedian Kathy Burke on the 'Where There's A Will, There's A Wake' podcast, Dennis remembered comedian Tommy Cooper fondly after the star's shock on stage death over four decades ago.

He said: "I was there. Me and Dustin Gee, you might remember. I was in the double act with the brilliant Dustin Gee, who went too early and who actually collapsed in a theatre. And who actually said on the night that Tommy went, ‘that's the way I'd like to go. I'd like to die with my boots on.’ Be careful what you wish for!"

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He then told Kathy and listeners what happened as the audience and crew realised Tommy wasn't joking. Dennis explained:"And we were there in the wings when Tommy … I mean he was a funny man. When he fell the audience laughed. We laughed in the wings thinking, ‘what's that!’ David Bell, the producer, said ‘Is that a joke?’ And it was Tommy's son who said, ‘No, my dad's got a bad back. He'd never be able to get up from that'."

"So, they just went cue music, cue commercial break. We thought they'd pull the plug on the show and put a repeat of The Professionals on or something. But they said, Jimmy Tarbuck and David Bell on stage said, ‘Are you guys ready to go on?’ We had to go on after the commercial break and work round him because he was behind the big red curtains that he had."

Dennis then added that he wants a bit of 'theatre' when he is ready to die, as he said: "It was crazy. So, I don't want to go on stage, but I want a bit of theatricality."

Dennis' chat comes as the star has signed up for the 2023 series of Strictly Come Dancing and has been paired with Strictly dance professional Nancy Xu. The dancing couple were announced on Saturday night's show, with Les meeting his new professional dancing partner Nancy in Liverpool's Woodcutters Social Club where he started out in comedy. He told viewers on the BBC show that he was thrilled to be paired with Nancy Xu, and claimed that he'd been "teaching her Scouse" in exchange for her dancing expertise.

*Where There’s A Will, There’s a Wake is available on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Niamh Spence