Richard Michael "Rik" Mayall (7 March 1958 – 9 June 2014) was an English comedian, writer, actor and voice-over artist. Mayall was best known for his comedy partnership with Ade Edmondson, for his energetic "post-punk" style of acting,[1] and as a pioneer of alternative comedy in the early 1980s. He appeared in numerous cult classic sitcoms, including The Young Ones (1982–84), Filthy Rich & Catflap (1987), The New Statesman (1987–94), Bottom (1991–95), and Blackadder, and in the comedy films Drop Dead Fred (1991) and Guest House Paradiso (1999).

At the time of his death, Mayall was described by Danny Cohen, director of BBC Television, as a "truly brilliant" comedian with a unique stage presence, whose "fireball creativity" and approach to sitcom had inspired a generation of comedy stars.[