Harry Thompson, producer of TV comedy, dies of cancer

The sporty, non-smoking television executive had been diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer in April just as his first novel, This Thing of Darkness, about the unfair lottery of so-called acts of God, was with the printers.

The novel's success in winning a place on the Man Booker Prize long list was an encouraging shot in the arm for Thompson in a long summer where he was given a 30 per cent chance of survival. He vowed to fight the disease.

But courses of chemotherapy could not halt its progress and he died on Monday night, only hours after marrying his longterm girlfriend, Lisa Whadcock, a literary agent, 33.

He will be remembered for a string of comedy successes on television including Da Ali G Show, They Think It's All Over, Never Mind the Buzzcocks and the award-winning satirical animation series Monkey Dust.

The Oxford history graduate had left the independent television company, Talkback, earlier this year to launch his own production company, Silver River, with Daisy Goodwin, the brains behind other television hits such as Bookworm and Grand Designs. Peter Fincham, now controller of BBC1 but a former chief executive of Talkback, said that Thompson's death would leave "a big hole in the comedy world".

"I can't believe this has happened and happened so quickly. He was that rarity in television - the talented, single-minded, subversive, unassimilated maverick.

"He had no time for companies, corporations or executives. His natural urge was always to satirise and debunk. He was one of nature's freelancers, answerable only to himself, challenging, funny and astute. I'll miss him."

The judges of the British Comedy Awards had decided only this week that Thompson should be presented with the jury's award for outstanding contribution to British comedy at next month's ceremony.

Michael Hurll, the awards' executive producer, said yesterday: "It's sad that he won't be there to receive it, but the legacy of his enduringly popular series' lives on." Others paying tribute included Denise O'Donoghue and Jimmy Mulville, joint managing directors of Hat Trick, which made Have I Got News For You. They said in a statement: "This is very sad news. Harry was one of the most brilliant producers of his generation and was central as the show's producer to the early success of Have I Got News For You."

Thompson, who had two children from a previous relationship, was the classic example of a man who appeared to have it all until this year.

Friends and acquaintances spoke of a funny, warm and spirited man who was careful about his diet and played cricket, football and tennis.

Doctors initially thought that Thompson had pleurisy, then pneumonia or tuberculosis before making the devastating diagnosis of cancer. His mother died of breast cancer when she was 30.

Ironically, it was the deaths from incurable diseases of Charles Darwin's daughter and the wife of Robert Fitzroy, captain of HMS Beagle, that lie at the heart of his novel This Thing of Darkness. Fitzroy consoles himself by believing that his loss is part of God's holy purpose.

Thompson said an interview: "There's the football stadium-sized irony that no sooner had I finished writing a novel that hinged on the apparent random cruelty of such acts of God than, whack, it was my turn to get the fickle fist of fate in the jaw.

"You do wonder if you're being punished in some bizarre, cosmic way, but I don't think I've done anything that bad."

Thompson had also written biographies of Richard Ingrams, Peter Cook and Hergé, creator of Tintin.

Tributes to a 'brilliant producer'

Ian Hislop, HAVE I GOT NEWS FOR YOU PANELLIST

"He was a brilliant producer. He was funny, always mischievous and bold. Then he wrote this book which ... was an enormous accomplishment, and for a first-time novelist was ... extraordinary."

Peter Fincham, BBC1 CONTROLLER

"He was that rarity in television - the talented, single-minded, subversive, unassimilated maverick. He also wrote brilliant books."

Roly Keating, BBC2 CONTROLLER

"Harry was a truly independent spirit and one of the funniest people I've ever known."

Lucy Lumsden, ACTING HEAD OF BBC COMEDY COMMISSIONING

"He constantly challenged us with his bravery in tackling difficult subjects. He kept us thinking and laughing."

Bill Hamilton, HARRY THOMPSON'S LITERARY AGENT

"He was a genius. Not only was he a fine producer, he was also turning out to be a phenomenal novelist."