Andy Smart (16 June 1959 – 16 May 2023) was an English comedian.

Andy Smart
Smart performing in 2019
Born(1959-06-16)16 June 1959
Died16 May 2023(2023-05-16) (aged 63)
Occupation(s)Comedian, actor, writer and TV panel show participant
Children2

Smart performed as a guest with The Comedy Store Players for over 13 years, and a permanent member from 1995. Before joining the Players he was one half of the Vicious Boys with Angelo Abela. Together they won the 1984 Time Out Street Entertainer Award and later appeared on LWT's Wake Up London and Channel 4's The Tube, where, dressed as a bell boy and pretending to be a Great Dane, Smart licked Paula Yates' face.

1985 Edinburgh Fringe. Andy Smart performing as a street entertainer. (Angelo Abela is sitting behind him)

Smart presented American Football on Channel 4 in 1987 alongside Abela.[1]

On The Graham Norton Show, Martin Freeman once mentioned that Smart saved him from choking on crisps using the Heimlich manoeuvre.[2]

He released a book about his life and career, A Hitch in Time: From Liverpool to Pamplona on a 72,000-Mile Road Trip, in 2019.[3]

Personal life and death

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Smart had a daughter, Grace (born 1993), a set designer, with actress and playwright Victoria Willing, and a son, Joe.[4]

Smart was a supporter of Farnborough F.C. and appeared on Farnborough FC Radio as a co-commentator.

Smart died on 16 May 2023, at the age of 63.[5] It was announced by his daughter, Grace, via his own social media profiles. [6]

References

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  1. ^ "Andy Smart, comedian tour dates : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide". www.chortle.co.uk.
  2. ^ Martin Freeman has a fear of choking - The Graham Norton Show - BBC, archived from the original on 21 December 2021, retrieved 11 August 2021
  3. ^ Smart, Andy (25 July 2019). "A Hitch in Time: From Liverpool to Pamplona on a 72,000-Mile Road Trip". Automobile Association – via Amazon.
  4. ^ Smurthwaite, Nick (19 June 2017). "Designer Grace Smart: 'I once broke into a theatre at 7am to repaint the stage'". The Stage. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
  5. ^ Chrisp, Kitty (17 May 2023). "Comedian Andy Smart, 63, dies 'unexpectedly'". Metro. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
  6. ^ Smart, Andy [@AndyCSP] (17 May 2023). "Hi this is Grace, Andy's daughter, I'm very sorry to let you all know that dad passed away unexpectedly last night. He had so many friends and such a great life. Raise a glass for him. G x" (Tweet). Retrieved 17 May 2023 – via Twitter.
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  Media related to Andy Smart at Wikimedia Commons