Jimmy Cricket, the Northern Irish comedian whose family-friendly humour and signature catchphrase “And there’s more!” made him a household name in 1980s Britain, has died at the age of 80. His family confirmed the news on his official Facebook page, stating that he passed away peacefully after a short illness, surrounded by family, love, laughter, and songs.
A career that spanned stage, screen, and radio
Born James Joseph Mulgrew in Cookstown, Northern Ireland, Cricket left school at 16 and began working as a Butlin’s Redcoat just two years later. After relocating first to Stockport and then to Rochdale, he honed his craft on the northern comedy circuits throughout the 1970s. His big break came in 1980 when he reached the semi-finals of the TV talent show Search for a Star.
Throughout the 1980s, Cricket became a regular fixture on British television. He fronted his own ITV series, And There’s More!, where he sported his iconic look: a tailcoat, short trousers, and wellington boots with “L” and “R” marked on the wrong feet. He also appeared at the 1984 Royal Variety Performance and in the BBC’s long-running light entertainment show The Good Old Days.
From TV stardom to radio success
In 1987, Cricket was the featured celebrity on an episode of This Is Your Life. By the mid-1990s, he had transitioned to radio, starring in four series of the acclaimed BBC Radio 2 show Jimmy’s Cricket Team alongside other comedy talent. His versatility kept him relevant across decades, endearing him to audiences of all ages.
A devoted family man and charitable heart
Cricket married May Tweedie in 1972, and the couple had four children. The family statement highlighted his role as a devoted husband and father: “Jimmy brought so much laughter and happiness to countless audiences throughout his career. Whether on stage, screen, or radio, or if you met him in person. But that was nothing compared with the happiness he gave to his family. A devoted husband to May for 52 years. A wonderful dad to his four children and a very silly grandad indeed to his four grandchildren. He was our greatest champion and loved us all loudly. Forever our clown, he was cracking jokes to the wonderful NHS staff and to us all right until the end.”
Beyond entertainment, Cricket was deeply committed to charity. He appeared alongside Peter Kay and Matt Lucas in the 2007 Comic Relief video for I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) and frequently organised tours to raise funds for the Francis House Children’s Hospice in Manchester.
Papal knighthood for charity work
In 2015, Cricket was awarded a papal knighthood, the Roman Catholic Church’s highest honour, by Pope Francis, in recognition of his charitable efforts. Commenting on the award at the time, Cricket said: “The parish priest arrived and took out this certificate - it was a papal knighthood and it was in Latin. I thought, ‘He’s got the wrong fella here, is he sure it’s not the neighbour?’”
He added: “I do what I love. If I can raise money by entertaining people, sure it’s not hard work. To get an honour for doing something that you love is quite a blessing.”
Cricket’s legacy as a beloved entertainer and philanthropist will endure, remembered for the laughter he brought to countless lives.
