Richard Griffiths: 1947-2013

“Everybody my age should be issued with a 2lb fresh salmon. If you see someone young, beautiful and happy, you should slap them as hard as you can with it. When they ask, 'Why did you do that?’, you say, 'Because, you lucky young bastard, you don’t know how fortunate you are.’ And they don’t...” 

The world of stage, screen, and trampoline will now have to find another go-to guy for playing predatory fruity old queens.
Loved your work, sir.
"Oops, I appear to have put my hand on your muscular young thigh!" etc etc

PS He did actually marry.

Update: Audio of Richard talking about playing Uncle Monty. 

George And Bernard Shaw: Modern Family

'AXED BBC1 sitcom My Family is set to be replaced with a show about two middle-aged gay men – with Robert Lindsay back in a lead role.
Beeb bosses believe George and Bernard Shaw, which also stars Richard Griffiths, will fill the void left by the long-running show now in its final series.
'Described as a “quirky and warm comedy about a gay couple”, filming is due to start in the autumn. A TV source said: “Yes, it’s slightly less than conventional in terms of the family set-up but it’s the 21st Century and things move on.
'“The BBC have commissioned a pilot and will make the call once it’s all wrapped up. But all signs point towards this being a perfect prime-time vehicle. The two big names involved show this could be very special.”'

The Daily Mirror.
This is interesting - if it happens.
Apparently it got put on the backburner cause - I guess - Russell T Davies is planning something similar - MGM/Cucumbers.
Richard Wilson was going to be one of the old gayers.
I wonder why.
But nice to see Richard Griffiths got that part - he's good at playing old fruits.
It's written by John Finnemore who writes David Mitchell's gags and Cabin Pressure.
Can't be bad.

Holy Moly: Hmm...

"Daily Mail readers will have spewed All-Bran this morning with the news that the BBC is to place a new sitcom about two gay men who love each other, in the slot previously occupied by cosy family chuckle-fest My Family. And it’s got the same actor in it! Cover the vicar’s eyes...
"George And Bernard Shaw (hmm) will star Robert Lindsay and the always brilliant Richard Griffiths will star in what’s being described as a “quirky and warm comedy about a gay couple”, with filming on the pilot set to start this Autumn.
"This follows the Beeb’s decision to axe the long running My Family, presumably after its writers finally ran out of scenarios where one of them could bring an unsuitable boyfriend home or the dad/dentist could slightly embarrass them with a social faux pas...

Hmm, this is off Holy Moly .
I'm presuming this is the much-vauted Russell T Davies sit-com formerly known as "Cucumber".
Can't see it in The Daily Mail.
Anyone?

Update: No it's not!