COMEDIAN Jimmy Cricket has died at the age of 80 following a short illness.
James Mulgrew was born in Cookstown in 1945 and grew up in Andersonstown.
He became a household name in the 1970s and 1980s, going on to win LWT's Search for a Star talent contest and eventually getting his own TV show on ITV and a radio series on BBC Radio 2.
In a statement on social media on Monday, his family said: "Our beloved Jimmy has passed away this morning after a short illness. He spent his last few days surrounded by his family, love, laughter and songs.
"Jimmy brought so much laughter and happiness to countless audiences in his career over the years. Whether on stage, screen or radio, or if you met him in person as well.
"But that was nothing to the happiness he gave to his family. A devoted husband to May for fifty-two years. A wonderful dad to his four children and very silly grandad indeed to his four grandchildren. He was our greatest champion and loved us all loudly. He also just loved people and he absolutely loved being a stand up comedian. What a life he lived.
"Forever our clown, he was cracking jokes to the wonderful NHS staff and to us all, right until the end. His courage, dignity and positivity through all he endured was inspirational. A force for joy, we are just all very sad that the world is a far less sillier place today.
"We were going to end by using his famous catchphrase and say, ‘There’s no More’. But Jimmy was a man of great faith and a Papal Knight of the Catholic Church. He believed that death is not the end and was looking forward to eternity, so really… And there’s more."
