Tony Slattery (1959 – 2025)

Biography and cause of death of Tony Slattery

Tony Declan James Slattery (9 November 1959 – 14 January 2025) Tony Slattery was a British actor and comedian. He appeared on British television regularly from the mid-1980s, including as a regular on the Channel 4 improvisation show Whose Line Is It Anyway?. His serious and comedic film work included roles in The Crying Game, Peter’s Friends and How to Get Ahead in Advertising.

Tony Slattery Early life and education

Tony Slattery was born in Stonebridge, north London, into a working-class background, the fifth and last child of Catholic Irish immigrants, Michael and Margaret Slattery.

In April 2019 Slattery revealed that he had been repeatedly sexually abused by a priest at the age of eight, but had never told his parents; he believed the event contributed to his unstable character later in life. He was educated at Gunnersbury Boys’ Grammar School in west London and won a scholarship to read Modern and Medieval Languages at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, specialising in French literature and Spanish poetry. Slattery held a black belt in judo and represented England internationally for under-15s.

At the University of Cambridge, Slattery discovered a love of the theatre, taking delight in making people laugh. He met Stephen Fry, who invited him to join the Cambridge Footlights. Other members at that time included Hugh Laurie, Emma Thompson, Sandi Toksvig, Jan Ravens and Richard Vranch.

In 1981, Tony Slattery , Fry, Laurie, Thompson and Toksvig won the inaugural Perrier Award for their revue The Cellar Tapes. The following year, Slattery was made President of the Footlights. During his tenure, the touring annual revue was Premises Premises.

Tony Slattery in Television and film

Slattery Breakthrough and peak

Tony Slattery first broke into television as a regular performer on Chris Tarrant’s follow up to O.T.T., Saturday Stayback (1983), while also appearing for children in Behind the Bike Sheds and the Saturday-morning show TX. In 1988 he appeared in the first series of comedy improvisation show Whose Line Is It Anyway? and quickly became a regular performer on the show. In 1991 he and fellow Whose Line regular Mike McShane starred in their own improvisational comedy series, S&M.

During the 1990s he was also a regular guest on comedy panel show Have I Got News for You and the TV version of the quiz show Just a Minute. He also occasionally appeared on the radio version of Just a Minute, including the live version held at the Edinburgh Festival.

As a dramatic actor he appeared in The Crying Game, To Die For, Peter’s Friends and The Wedding Tackle.

At the end of the 1980s he became a film critic, presenting his own show on British television, Saturday Night at the Movies. He also appeared in the ITV sitcom That’s Love with Jimmy Mulville.

Other TV appearances include The Music Game alongside Richard Vranch and as a regular guest on Ruby Wax and Clive Anderson’s chat shows. In 1988, Slattery appeared in the BBC sci-fi comedy series Red Dwarf, in the episode “Kryten” he played the voice of the main character on Kryten’s favourite soap opera, “Androids”, a parody of the Australian soap opera Neighbours.

He was also a regular guest with the Comedy Store Players, both at the Comedy Store in London and on tour.

In 1990, he appeared as a contestant on Cluedo, facing off against David Yip. From 1993 to 1994 he was the host of the game show Trivial Pursuit.

In 1992 he appeared in the film Carry On Columbus. In the same year he appeared in the series Dead Ringer, filmed for the observation round in The Krypton Factor. Also in 1992 Slattery appeared as a contestant on the Channel 4 show GamesMaster, and in 1993 he starred in the ITV sitcom Just a Gigolo.

Tony Slattery Later appearances

Personal problems later overshadowed Slattery’s career, leading to a reduced profile. He made his last appearance on Whose Line Is It Anyway? in 1995, and due to an extended period of illness, he undertook only occasional television work from the mid-1990s to the early 2000s. He reappeared in Red Dwarf in 1999 as the voice of a vending machine that threatens Arnold Rimmer in the final episode of the series’ initial BBC2 run, “Only the Good…”.

In 2005 Slattery appeared in the TV film Ahead of the Class with Julie Walters, portrayed D.I. Alan Hayes in series 7 of Bad Girls, and made a cameo appearance in ITV’s Life Begins as a date for Maggie (played by Caroline Quentin). He won a celebrity edition of the game show The Weakest Link, defeating Vanessa Feltz in the final round. At the end of the show, he announced that he would donate his prize money to the Terrence Higgins Trust. In December 2005, he joined the long-running drama Coronation Street as Eric Talford.

In April 2006, Slattery appeared in Grumpy Old Men on BBC Two. In 2007, he played Tom O’Driscoll in the feature film Lady Godiva: Back in the Saddle, and the Canon of Birkley in the Robin Hood episode “Show Me the Money”. That year, Slattery also joined the ITV series Kingdom as a regular cast member, playing the eccentric Sidney Snell, to which he returned for a third series in 2009. In January 2010, he appeared with Phyllida Law on Ready Steady Cook.

In March 2011, Slattery appeared in a reunion special of Whose Line Is It Anyway? along with David Walliams, Josie Lawrence, Clive Anderson, Humphrey Ker and Neil Mullarkey for the BBC Comic Relief show 24-Hour Panel People.

Tony Slattery Documentary about his life

In 2020 Slattery and his partner Mark Hutchinson featured in an edition of the BBC Horizon series entitled “What’s the Matter with Tony Slattery?”. In a detailed examination of his mental health, childhood trauma and substance addictions, medical professionals concluded that Tony Slattery continued to experience the effects of trauma relating to childhood abuse; was on the bi-polar spectrum; and suffered alcohol dependence. The professionals advised Slattery on steps to take to improve his mental health and his physical wellbeing.

Tony Slattery Theatre and comedy

In 1981 he teamed with Richard Vranch as a comedic duo calling themselves “Aftertaste”. For a number of years they toured throughout Great Britain performing in small venues: theatres and clubs, including the Tunnel Club, King’s Head Theatre in London and aboard the Thekla, then known as the “Old Profanity Showboat” in Bristol. Together they hosted the Channel 4 quiz The Music Game and over 100 episodes of Cue the Music on ITV.

Featuring his baritone voice, Slattery appeared on London’s West End stages in the musicals Me and My Girl and Radio Times, as well as in the play Neville’s Island.

In 1994, Slattery became a founding patron of Leicester Comedy Festival alongside Norman Wisdom, appearing at the first festival in 1996 and again in 2020.

In May 2006 he was the first voice of the narrator in the 35th anniversary theatre production of Richard O’Brien’s Rocky Horror Tribute Show, held at the Royal Court Theatre.

In 2017–2018 he was the eponymous star of Slattery Night Fever, an improvised comedy show on London’s off-West End, directed by Lesley Ann Abiston.

Tony Slattery appeared on a weekly improvised podcast, Tony Slattery’s Rambling Club. Special guests included Robin Ince, Richard Vranch and Julian Clary.

Tony Slattery Personal life and death

In the mid-1990s, after leaving Whose Line Is It Anyway?, Slattery suffered what he described as a “midlife crisis”, triggered by cocaine use and excessive drinking. Slattery said he did not remember how much he had spent on cocaine but “would not be surprised” if media reports that he spent £4,000 per week on the drug were accurate.

In 1996 Slattery’s crisis culminated with a six-month period as a recluse, during which he did not answer his door or telephone, “or open bills, or wash… I just sat.” Eventually, one of his friends broke down the door of his flat and persuaded him to go to hospital. He was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

He discussed this period and his subsequent living with the disorder in a documentary made by Stephen Fry, The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive, in 2006; Slattery claimed that he spent time living in a warehouse and “throwing [his] furniture into the Thames.”

In May 1998 he was elected as Rector of the University of Dundee; however, his poor attendance record with a single visit in a one-year period led to calls for his resignation from some students. The official view was that it would not be worthwhile ousting him, because his term was to end in February 2001.

He said: “I’m happily described as gay”, and had been in a relationship with the actor Mark Michael Hutchinson since 1986.

In March 2019, he held a Comedy Gala in Hoylake, Merseyside, to raise money for the charity Bipolar UK. The night included sets from a variety of comedians.

In September 2020, Slattery signed a publishing deal to write his memoirs.

Tony Slattery died from a heart attack on 14 January 2025, at the age of 65.

Source: Wikipedia