Tributes to groundbreaking satirist

Tributes have been paid to veteran satirist John Bird, who has died at the age of 86.

The comedian was part of the TV satire boom of the 1960s, and is best known for his enduring partnership with John Fortune, which began when they were both students.

Rory Bremner, who co-starred with them in 16 series of the Channel 4 show Bremner, Bird and Fortune, described him as ‘one of the greatest satirists’ and 'one of the last pillars of the anti-establishment'.

The impressionist wrote: 'It’s an irony that one of our greatest satirists, so brilliant at portraying ministers, civil servants or high-ranking officials who exuded self-satisfaction, was himself so modest and self-effacing.

'John Bird was, to the end, never pleased with himself, always feeling he should have done better, been less lazy, had a late period like Brahms, "where everything was spare and abstract".

'The reality was that he and his friend and collaborator John Fortune, together with Peter Cook were pillars of the anti-establishment.'

'John may not have felt he got his life right, but by God he got it written.'

A statement announcing Bird’s death said he had died peacefully at Pendean care home in West Sussex on Christmas Eve, adding that a family funeral will be followed by a celebration of his life in the new year.

Bird met Fortune while both were students at Cambridge. While there, he also directed Peter Cook and Eleanor Bron in the 1959 Cambridge Footlights Revue. He appeared on the first night of Cook’s groundbreaking Establishment Club in London in 1961.

The two Johns' first TV show, A Series Of Birds, aired in 1967. Fortune was reunited with Bird when he joined Bremner’s BBC Two series Now Something Else in 1991, and the trio went on to make 85 episodes of Bremner, Bird and Fortune for Channel 4 from 1999 to 2010. Bird and Fortune - who together were known as The Long Johns – shared a Bafta award in 1997.

His other credits include Yes, Prime Minister, A Very Peculiar Practice  One Foot in the Grave and the film Jabberwocky.

Comedy actor James Dreyfuss tweeted: 'His brilliant routines with John Fortune & Rory Bremner really are the stuff of legend. One of the comedic giants.'

Fellow actor Tony Gardner said: 'Honoured to have spent time in the company of John Bird while making TV and Radio over the years. A wonderful gentleman, hugely talented, incredibly funny and with ALL the stories. RIP John.'

And comic Angela Barnes made reference to the 1980s children's comedy he starred in, writing: 'Ahh RIP John Bird, you were wonderful in Bremner Bird and Fortune, and Absolute Power and other satirical shows. However to me, and probably to others of my vintage, you will always be remembered as Marmalade Atkins’ Dad.'

Bird is survived by his wife, Libby, a concert pianist, along with his stepsons Dan and Josh.

Fortune died in 2013, aged 74.

Published: 28 Dec 2022