Comedian and ex-Frank Skinner co-host Gareth Richards dies, aged 41, after motorway crash

Comedian Gareth Richards has died aged 41, almost two weeks after a motorway crash left him with serious brain injuries.

The former Frank Skinner show co-host was in a "terrible car accident" on Monday, March 27, and died of his injuries on Good Friday, his wife Laura said in a statement.

"It was a miracle that he arrived at the hospital alive. Since then, the doctors and nurses have been incredible and have kept him in a stable and sedated condition," she added.

"However, the latest scan revealed that the extent of the damage was so severe that they would have to remove all of the supportive medications and allow him to be at peace.

"The boys are bearing up well. There will be details of the funeral and other ways to remember Gareth to follow, as I know that he was well loved.

"At the moment the grief is a lot to cope with. Thank you all for your support and kindness."

Last week Skinner, 66, broke down in tears on his Saturday Absolute Radio show as he told listeners that Richards was fighting for his life following crash on the M25.

He said: “One thing you have to learn to do in this line of work is to put on a false front and the show must go on, and that’s what happened this morning.

“Gareth was in a very big road accident this week and it’s not looking great for Gareth. He is in hospital and he’s fighting but it’s not looking great. “I didn’t want to do this show, we didn’t want to do this show, without mentioning him...

"Many of you will have seen him live, some of you will remember on the show if you’ve been with us that long - he is a fantastic bloke."

Richards co-hosted the Frank Skinner show for two years with Skinner and Emily Dean after it first went on air, and continued to make regular appearances afterwards.

He also supported Skinner on his 2014 and 2020 tours and appeared on a number of TV shows including Russell Howard’s Good News and Live at the Electric.

Having firmly established himself in the circuit with his observational comedy and sharp one-liners, Richards also preformed live on BBC Radio 1 and recorded stand up sets for Radio 4 and 2.

A few years after launching his comedy career in 2004, Richards was the finalist in the Hackney Empire New Act of the Year 2007 competition, and was also runner-up in the Amused Moose Laugh-Off in 2007. As his success grew, Richards took his first solo stand up act – Stand Up Between Songs – to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2010, after which he was nominated for the Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer prize. Richards took a show to the famous arts festival almost every year following and was due to perform his tenth solo show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2023. Tributes from fellow comedians have been pouring in, with Rhys James tweeting: "I was a fan of Gareth Richards before I met him and was so thrilled by how lovely and hilarious he was offstage as well as on.

"A giant of joke writing. A pleasure to know and an honour to die on my arse alongside at some real stinker network gigs back in the day. RIP." Ted Lasso star Lloyd Griffith posted: "This is heartbreaking. Gareth, you were the kindest man ever, and so so funny. "I used to watch this over and over again when I first got into comedy. Rest in peace pal xx." Lucy Beaumont wrote: "The stand up comedy world has lost a truly unique, alternative comic today- Gareth Richards @garethrichards . You'll never hear a bad word against him x."

Angela Barnes added: "The news we’ve all been dreading has come that @garethrichards has left us.

"He was so funny and, above all, so kind and gentle. Love and strength to his family and friends and his comedy family who are all reeling from this. Rest in peace Gareth xxx."

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