Barry Chuckle funeral: Fans pay tribute to TV comedian at service in Rotherham

Hundreds of people gathered for the funeral of Barry Chuckle in Rotherham on Friday with fans shouting the catchphrase “To me, to you”.

Chuckle Brothers fans lined the streets in the Yorkshire town to pay their respects to the 73-year-old, whose real name was Barry Elliott.

Paul Chuckle carried the coffin of his brother as family and friends gathered for the funeral of the celebrated entertainer at Rotherham United football club.

Roy Chubby Brown, Vicki Michelle, Linda Nolan, Bernard Clifton and Tommy Cannon were among the veteran performers invited to a private service held inside New York Stadium – home to the late comedian’s beloved team.

A wreath was laid just outside the entrance as mourners made their way inside pay their respects. Four men carried the coffin in through the player’s entrance, including Paul, who said he was “totally devastated” at the death of “my brother, partner and my very best pal”.

Outside, fans explained how much Mr Elliot and the Chuckle Brothers’ long running BBC show ChuckleVision had meant to them.

Barbra Garston, 86, said: “I’ve got three generations which have grown up with them. So one by one, they’ve all watched them.”

Ms Garston made a sign to bring to the stadium, which read: “To a Yorkshire lad from a Yorkshire lass, goodbye from me to you.”

A young Chuckle Brothers “megafan” travelled from Birmingham to pay tribute.

Alfie, 10, said he first went to see them at the pantomime in Wolverhampton around two years ago.

“I just love their episodes and every morning I’m watching their episodes of Chucklevision, and it has never gotten old.

“Everybody loves them. They’ve got a really good comedy - they’re funny and they just made people laugh.”

Earlier this week Paul Elliot revealed his brother had been suffering from bone cancer which had spread to his lungs.

His death prompted a flood of tributes from entertainers such as David Walliams, rapper Tinchy Stryder and director Edgar Wright.

ChuckleVision ran for 21 series from 1987 to 2009, but the brothers did return to screens earlier this year with Chuckle Time on Channel 5.

Additional reporting by PA