Bernard Manning, was comedy's bete noir, with a repertoire that included vile, racist jokes designed to wind up the politically correct brigade he hated so much.

For the alternative comedians, he came to epitomise everything that was wrong with the tired old-school acts, using generic material based on lazy stereotypes. But to his fans, he was a no-nonsense hero.

Manning was born in 1930 in the Ancoats district of Manchester, at the time one of the city's poorest areas, and his entire life revolved around the city.

He left school at 14 and worked briefly in his father's greengrocer's shop before becoming a big-band singer while doing his National Service in Germany.

He started compering shows, and gradually put more and more jokes into his act, until he was considered primarily a comedian.

He made his TV debut on Granada TV's stand-up show The Comedians, which made him a household name. So when producers wanted a host for The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club, an attempt to recreate the working men’s club nights for television, he was the obvious choice for the host.

But gradually his stand-up fell out of fashion - and became considered too offensive for TV.

He continued to work on the Northern club circuit, however, and was the big draw at his own club, the Embassy Club in Manchester.

His act was a mix of old pub gags, racist comments and cloying sentimentality - although he would defend himself by claiming he took the mickey out of everyone. 'I tell jokes,' he said. 'You never take a joke seriously.'

However, although he would claim anything was fair game for humour he had his own code, saying it was unacceptable to quip about bereavement, tampons or disability.

Yet he was happy to use words like 'niggers' and 'coons' in his act, claiming they were historical terms with respectable roots. And of black Britons, he would say: 'If a dog is born in a stable, it doesn't make it a horse.’

Manning died in June 2007, aged 76, of kidney disease. His son, Bernard Jr, took over the Embassy Club.

I agree with Steve, his efficiency was mind-bogglingly good, but that wasn't perhaps natural talent, instead it was decades of effort. I have to say hearing John Moloney on C4's 100 Greatest Stand-Ups saying how great a comedian he was, was really nice to hear surprisingly. He's correct. Manning's comic timing was perfect, but that can't be said for the material.

Bill Ryan, May 2009

I think he only started telling p--i and n----r jokes to fit in on a club scene that's fan-base was full of racist bigots and were too retarded to understand and appreciate alternative comedy. I never thought he was truly racist.

Luke, October 2008

Damn right he's racist. An insult to the human race.

Michael Monkhouse, October 2008

He only had himself to blame that he will be remembered as a racist, when he could have been revered as the man with the best timing and delivery of gags. I don't know that he was a racist, but for some reason he felt that he had to shock rather than entertain.

Tim Saint, December 2007

Anyone seen Eddie Murphy's live videos with his views on gays and Italians? The liberal elite stay silent but let's give Manning a kicking, though.

laurence oakwell, May 2007

Tired, dated, pompus, bigoted and racist. I have never seen such utter drivel from a man who professes to be premier league comedy.

laura, April 2007