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| Comedy star Bernard Manning dies | Comedy star Bernard Manning dies |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Controversial comedian Bernard Manning has died aged 76, his comedy venue, Manchester's Embassy Club has said. | Controversial comedian Bernard Manning has died aged 76, his comedy venue, Manchester's Embassy Club has said. |
| He shot to fame in the 1970s on ITV programme The Comedians, having already developed a career in music as a vocalist for the Oscar Rabin Band. | He shot to fame in the 1970s on ITV programme The Comedians, having already developed a career in music as a vocalist for the Oscar Rabin Band. |
| His website branded him "one of the most outrageous and successful comedians of our time". | His website branded him "one of the most outrageous and successful comedians of our time". |
| He also denied being racist, once remarking: "I tell jokes. You never take a joke seriously." | He also denied being racist, once remarking: "I tell jokes. You never take a joke seriously." |
| However, in 2002, he was banned from performing the Dorset seaside town of Weymouth, where councillors were worried that his act would breach laws on race. | However, in 2002, he was banned from performing the Dorset seaside town of Weymouth, where councillors were worried that his act would breach laws on race. |
| Until his dying day, he didn't understand what all the fuss was about Biographer Jonathan Margolis on Bernard Manning | Until his dying day, he didn't understand what all the fuss was about Biographer Jonathan Margolis on Bernard Manning |
| He died in North Manchester General Hospital at 1510 BST on Monday, a spokesman there confirmed. | He died in North Manchester General Hospital at 1510 BST on Monday, a spokesman there confirmed. |
| Born in 1930 in the Manchester suburb of Ancoats, he left school at 14, initially to work in a tobacco factory. | |
| His biographer, Jonathan Margolis, last saw him six weeks ago. | |
| "Bernard was the last of the old-style joke-telling comedians," he told the BBC News website. | "Bernard was the last of the old-style joke-telling comedians," he told the BBC News website. |
| "Jokes slightly went out of fashion maybe 25 years ago and Bernard was the last of the joke-tellers. | "Jokes slightly went out of fashion maybe 25 years ago and Bernard was the last of the joke-tellers. |
| Manning denied being racist, but his controversial act drew protests'Gags galore' | |
| "I think he'll inevitably become famous for this question of whether he a racist comedian - and it's a funny thing because it's some way down the list of things he was," he explained. | |
| "He was a man of his age - and as people of his age went, he was relatively un-racist. | "He was a man of his age - and as people of his age went, he was relatively un-racist. |
| "Until his dying day, he didn't understand what all the fuss was about." | "Until his dying day, he didn't understand what all the fuss was about." |
| "He whipped out gags galore and made sure everybody got a laugh," fellow comedian Frank Carson told the BBC News website. | |
| "I met him 40 years ago. I stayed with him at his house, but I'm only a four-hour sleeper and I used to wake him up at four in the morning singing There's Nothing Like A Dame. | |
| He's gone but he'll never be forgotten. He was one of the most generous men on earth Frank Carson | |
| "He was a wonderful man. If I had to write his gravestone I'd put: 'Here lies Bernard Manning, comedian, who died 76 years old.' | |
| "Underneath that I'd put: 'What a pity, he had a booking next week.'" | |
| Carson added: "He's gone but he'll never be forgotten. He was one of the most generous men on earth. | |
| "The doors of The Embassy were always open for anyone who wanted to hold a charity night, and at the end of the night he would always make a contribution." | |
| Showbiz agent Mickey Martin, who was a close friend of the comedian, told the Manchester Evening News that his death was a sad loss. | Showbiz agent Mickey Martin, who was a close friend of the comedian, told the Manchester Evening News that his death was a sad loss. |
| "I was going to visit him today but young Bernard called to say he's gone," he said, referring to Manning's son. | "I was going to visit him today but young Bernard called to say he's gone," he said, referring to Manning's son. |
| "It's come all of a sudden as we thought he was on the mend." | "It's come all of a sudden as we thought he was on the mend." |