Comedian and actor John Sessions has died at the age of 67.
A statement from his agent said: “It is with great sadness we can confirm that on Monday 2nd November, the actor John Sessions died at his home in South London. He will be hugely missed.”
Born in Largs, he was best known for TV appearances on panel shows including Have I Got News For You, QI and Whose Line is it Anyway?, as well as voicing a number of Spitting Image puppets.
His acting roles including playing Edward Heath in The Iron Lady, and roles in Nativity, The Merchant of Venice and Stella Street.
John Sessions was a panellist on QI's first ever episode: Series A, Episode One, 'Adam'. His incredible wit and encyclopaedic knowledge played a huge part in the show's history and everyone at QI is deeply saddened to learn of his passing. pic.twitter.com/F1cxzcBRae
— Quite Interesting (@qikipedia) November 3, 2020
Tributes have been paid to Sessions on social media, with presenter Danny Baker tweeting: “Shocked to hear that John Sessions has died at 67. Terrific company always and a true talent.
“His roles at the heart of [Beachcomber… By The Way], my favourite radio series, have given endless pleasure to me and will continue to do so always. Travel easy, chum…”
Devastated by the loss of my great friend and legend Johnny Sessions. He was a genius
— Ronni Ancona (@RonniAncona) November 3, 2020
Jeez. Another one. John Sessions. Just the best, he’d blow everyone away on Whose Line with his speed of thought & breadth of reference. Utterly absorbed by Hollywood, its characters and stories, brilliant raconteur, genius mimic. A flash of brilliance just went out.
— Rory Bremner (@rorybremner) November 3, 2020
Earlier this year, Sessions told The Sunday Post that voicing a character in children’s radio series The Adventures Of Captain Bobo took him back to his childhood.
He was a frequent traveller on the paddle steamers of the Clyde, which inspired the story and had retained his passion for them.
“This series presses all my buttons, it’s very sweet,” he said in September. “I can remember the last stages of the old Clyde, when there were still quite a lot of steamers. This would be the late ’50s and early ’60s.
“We lived in England but came home every year to stay with my granny, aunt and uncle. It was a magical time and I get awfully nostalgic for those days.
“I was crazy about the steamers. I was like a kid whose dog had to be put down when I heard of one of them was going to the breakers – it broke my heart, I knew them all.”
Everyone at Fun Kids is very sad to hear that actor John Sessions has died. He was the voice of the current series “The Adventures of Captain Bobo” which he brought to life so vividly for our audience this year.https://t.co/BOA0ilzEYA
— Fun Kids Radio (@funkids) November 3, 2020
He added that he landed the part after being recommended by Bill Paterson.
“Bill is a good friend of mine of many years and he generously said the man you want is John Sessions, who’s an old steamer nut.”
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