Comic star tormented by demons

WHEN he stepped into the spotlight weekly on TV's improvisational comedy show Whose Line Is It Anyway?, Tony Slattery often began by straightening his tie and shifting his gaze skywards.

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But the physical introduction was the only constant element of his delivery as a comic renowned for creativity and zany unpredictably.

A regular on the Ch4 show alongside the likes of Paul Merton, John Sessions, Josie Lawrence and Rory Bremner in the mid-80s, Slattery went on to appear on other prime-time programmes including Have I Got News For You and Just A Minute in the early 90s.

The public took to his boyish charm and timeless humour, while his peers considered him a comedy genius. Paying tribute following his death, Stephen Fry described him as "screamingly funny".