Tom O’Connor: One of the all-time greats
Jimmy Cricket has described the late Tom O’Connor as an “all-time great”.
Comedian Tom died in hospital in Buckinghamshire on Sunday 18 July aged 81.
He had had Parkinson’s for more than a decade.
Jimmy said on Facebook: “So sad to hear of the passing of my fellow comedian Tom O’Connor.
“Tom’s razor sharp observations and impeccable timing made him one of the all-time greats.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to Pat his lovely wife and all his family 
xx.”
Jimmy’s Facebook post has so far attracted around 200 comments – read them here – and been shared more than 650 times.
Tom rose to fame on TV show Opportunity Knocks, which he won three times.
He went on to star in The Comedians and host shows including Name That Tune, Crosswits and the Tom O’Connor Show.
Like Jimmy, Tom’s humour was always completely family friendly.
He was born in Bootle, Merseyside, and went on to become a maths teacher and assistant headteacher.
He became a professional entertainer in the early 1970s, establishing himself as a household name with shows like Pick Pockets and The Zodiac Game.
Again like Jimmy, his career also saw him appearing in the Royal Variety Show at the London Palladium and being the subject of This Is Your Life.
Jimmy Cricket is just over a month away from returning to the stage!