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| Comic Charlie Williams dies at 78 | Comic Charlie Williams dies at 78 |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| Pioneering stand-up Charlie Williams, who found fame on hit 1970s TV show The Comedians, has died at the age of 78. | Pioneering stand-up Charlie Williams, who found fame on hit 1970s TV show The Comedians, has died at the age of 78. |
| Born in Yorkshire of Jamaican descent, Williams was the first black comedian to make the big time on British TV. | Born in Yorkshire of Jamaican descent, Williams was the first black comedian to make the big time on British TV. |
| He played professional football for Doncaster Rovers before developing the comedy catchphrase "me old flower". | He played professional football for Doncaster Rovers before developing the comedy catchphrase "me old flower". |
| Williams, who had been ill for some time with Parkinson's disease and dementia, died at Barnsley General hospital on Saturday afternoon. | Williams, who had been ill for some time with Parkinson's disease and dementia, died at Barnsley General hospital on Saturday afternoon. |
| Comedy talent | Comedy talent |
| After leaving school he worked at Upton Colliery where he was spotted playing for the football team and became a centre-half at Doncaster, making 171 appearances for the club in the 1950s. | After leaving school he worked at Upton Colliery where he was spotted playing for the football team and became a centre-half at Doncaster, making 171 appearances for the club in the 1950s. |
| He later moved into showbusiness as a singer but his talent proved to be in comedy, and he often poked fun at race issues. | He later moved into showbusiness as a singer but his talent proved to be in comedy, and he often poked fun at race issues. |
| Others he appeared with on Granada's The Comedians, which started in 1971, included Frank Carson, Colin Crompton, Ken Goodwin, Bernard Manning, Tom O'Connor, Jim Bowen, Lennie Bennett and Mike Reid. | Others he appeared with on Granada's The Comedians, which started in 1971, included Frank Carson, Colin Crompton, Ken Goodwin, Bernard Manning, Tom O'Connor, Jim Bowen, Lennie Bennett and Mike Reid. |
| He went on to host the Golden Shot game show in the mid-1970s. | |
| In 1999, Williams was made an MBE for his charity work. He was also voted Doncaster Rovers' all-time cult hero by viewers of the BBC's Football Focus programme. |