London - Sir Harry Secombe's announcement yesterday that he will never perform again brings to an end the career of one of Britain's best-loved entertainers. His genius for slapstick and buffoonery has won him favour with both royalty and prime ministers such as Lord Wilson and Mr John Major.
But he has also been a singer, an actor, a writer and a tireless charity worker. And in recent years he has become best known for his Sunday night religious programme Highway, a show he began for Tyne Tees television in 1983.
Throughout his career he has been heavily involved in charity work for organisations such as the Army Benevolent Fund, the Stars Organisation for Spastics and helping appeals for spina bifida and hyrocephalus. In 1981 he was honoured with a knighthood for his services to entertainment and charity.
Just a year before he started the Highway series, he suffered a heart attack and collapsed during a tour of Australia. Early in 1999, he had a stroke which affected the left side of his body and impaired his speech.