Bowing out with one final tribute show

Simon Day is killing off his legendary prog rocker Brian Pern.

The lead singer of Thotch is to bow out with a one-off BBC Four  mockumentary after the character dies in a ‘Segway mistake.’

Character co-creator Rhys Thomas said: ‘I am absolutely devastated that the documentary I was making about Brian’s future has now become a tribute following the terrible news. We have lost one of the greatest Brians in rock music.  I am still in shock and will send him off in style in this programme.’

Shane Allen, the BBC’s controller of comedy commissioning added: ‘This programme marks the tragic end of a once great musical pioneer. We will never forget you Barry Pern.’

Pern originally featured in the three-part BBC Four series The Life of Rock in 2014. A second batch of three episodes was promoted to BBC Two and broadcast later that year, with a  third series going out on BBC Four early last year.

Peter Gabriel – long thought to be the inspiration for Pern – appeared in the last series riding a Segway, a vehicle he's also used in his stage shows.

The final half-hour special, made by BBC Studios, will also feature  Michael Kitchen, Paul Whitehouse and Nigel Havers.  

Published: 17 Feb 2017