Comedian Stanley Baxter dies aged 99

EDINBURGH: Scottish actor, comedian, impressionist and author Stanley Baxter has died at the age of 99, the BBC has reported.

Baxter passed away on Thursday at Denville Hall, a north London care home for entertainment professionals where he had lived since 2023, according to his friend and biographer Brian Beacom.

Born on May 24, 1926, Baxter became one of Britain’s most celebrated impressionists, best known for fronting the hit sketch series The Stanley Baxter Show and The Stanley Baxter Picture Show. He began his television career with the BBC, earning widespread acclaim before moving to London Weekend Television (LWT) in 1963.

After relocating to London, Baxter’s career grew to encompass stage performances, radio sitcoms and numerous television roles. He became renowned for his extravagant sketches and pitch-perfect impressions of prominent figures—including the Pope and Queen Elizabeth II.

His film work included Crooks Anonymous, alongside Leslie Phillips, and The Thief and the Cobbler, a production noted for its unusually long, 29-year completion timeframe.

In 2020, at the age of 94, Baxter publicly confirmed that he had always been gay, explaining that he had concealed his sexuality for much of his life due to fear of arrest before homosexuality was decriminalised.