'Allo 'Allo! writer Jeremy Lloyd dies

Jeremy Lloyd, the British co-writer of the sitcoms Are You Being Served and 'Allo 'Allo! has died in London aged 84.

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Comedy writer Jeremy Lloyd, who created sitcoms including Are You Being Served? and 'Allo 'Allo!, has died aged 84.

He died in a London hospital on Monday evening from pneumonia, his agent Alexandra Cann said.

"Jeremy was a great wit and always a mass of original ideas. He had a wonderfully original mind and will be greatly missed," she said on Tuesday.

Lloyd, who was married three times including to actor Joanna Lumley, created a string of hit shows with his writing partner David Croft.

He was given an OBE for services to comedy in 2012.

Accepting his OBE, Lloyd said he was "astounded" to be honoured for doing something he enjoyed.

"It is, after all, what I love doing and couldn't have done without the many wonderful actors, directors and others who made my work come to life."

Lloyd had enjoyed a screen career of his own before he devoted himself to providing the lines for others.

He made his film debut in School For Scoundrels and had minor roles in the Beatles films Help! and A Hard Day's Night, as well as classics such as Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines.

After working on other shows, he and Croft went on to work up an idea based on Lloyd's past experiences working at Simpsons of Piccadilly, which became Are You Being Served?, set in the fictional Grace Brothers store. Its run spanned 13 years.

They worked on further shows then struck comedy gold again with 'Allo 'Allo! about the French Resistance, which lasted the best part of a decade.

Writing about their marriage, which lasted less than a year, Lumley said: "He was witty, tall and charming - we should have just had a raging affair."

His third marriage, to interior designer Lizzy Moberly, took place in London this June.

He said his third bride, who was 49 when they tied the knot, was "beautiful, clever and sent from heaven on mission impossible".


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