ONE half of legendary comedy double act Cannon & Ball - Bobby Ball - has died at the age of 76, his manager has announced.

In a statement issued on Thursday morning (October 29), it read: “It is with great personal sadness that on behalf of Yvonne Ball, and the family, and Tommy Cannon, I announce that Bobby Ball passed away at Blackpool Victoria Hospital on the 28th October 2020 approximately 21:30.”

Cannon and Ball came to Southampton's Mayflower Theatre on Friday Decmber 21, 1990 in the pantomime Babes in the Woods.

Christopher Biggins starred alongside them.

Bournemouth Echo:

A programme from a 1986 gig in Bournemouth read: “To describe Tommy Cannon and Bobby Ball as stars is, at the very least, an understatement. To describe them as superstars and a true phenomenon is perhaps more accurate. Since their debut TV series for London Weekend Television in 1979 they have not only become top TV stars with their own series and specials every year, but are also the biggest box-office attraction in the UK – in 1985 along they played to over 600,000 people live through their 10-week Summer Season in Blackpool, their British tour of March and April and further record-breaking shows in Birmingham.

Bournemouth Echo:

“To have outsold not only other comedy acts, but to have outdrawn even rock superstar Bruce Springsteen, is a totally unique achievement which puts them in a cateogry all of their own. At the Opera House in Blackpool last summer their 10-week run broke all box-office records by playing to over 300,000 people and grossing in excess of £1 million. Their 1985/6 Christmas panto, Babes in the Wood – their first for 5 years – at the Bristol Hippodrome put them into even more record books with takings in excess of £700,000.

“This summer is the turn of Bournemouth where Cannon and Ball will present their unique spectacular at the Bournemouth International Centre from July 10 th September 6 – and it’s a racing certainty that those record books will have to be re-written all over again.”