Pal Skyes praises 'masterclass comic'

A blue plaque honouring Spike Milligan has been unveiled outside his former West London home.

The tribute was launched yesterday by lifelong friend Eric Sykes, who co-wrote 24 episodes of The Goon Show with Milligan.

Sykes, 80, said: "If I told you how many marvellous memories of Spike I have, we would each need a chair because it would take so long.

"This is a lovely tribute to one of the masterclass comics of his era."

The plaque - outside a first-floor Bayswater flat - was funded by Comic Heritage.

Chairman David Graham said: "Spike gave fun and laughter to generations of people going back to the early 50s.

The comic's daughters Sile and Jane, and son Sean watched the unveiling of the tribute to their father, who died at his Sussex home last year at 83.

The Sunday Times yesterday reported that a new biography will "reveal" that Milligan has two illegitimate children - Romany and James - even though the fact has been widely reported before.

Published: 7 Jul 2003