COMEDY legend Duncan Norvelle has died aged 66.
Tributes have flooded in for the star who shot to fame in the 1980s with his catchphrase “Chase me!”
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His partner Linda Trevallion confirmed he passed away this morning at 8.15am.
She told The Sun he died from a chest infection and sepsis, but was not in any pain.
“He’s at peace and he’s made millions of people laugh in his lifetime. I’ve never heard anyone say a bad thing about him,” she said.
The couple were together for 12 years, with Linda saying he “wasn’t really showbiz, he wasn’t one for going to showbiz parties”.
She added that Norvelle was always “very gracious” with his fans, however.
And despite them never officially marrying, Linda said: “We were together like husband and wife.”
Norvelle had been living with the effects of a stroke suffered in 2012 that had left him paralysed down the left side of his body.
He met Linda just after through a mutual friend.
She went on to say: “I fell in love with the man, it made no difference about the stroke. I helped him, but he could do a lot for himself.”
Linda, as well as Norvelle’s son Jack, 15, and daughter Yasmine, 35, were with him when he died.
However, other daughter Sophie, 44, could not get back in time from Spain.
Linda added: “I never wish anyone to suffer. I just want to still hold him, and love him a bit more. It’s never enough. I knew it was coming but you’re never prepared.”
STARDOM
Norvelle was born on April 2, 1958 near Loughborough in the East Midlands, and pursued a career as an entertainer after winning £20 in a talent show while on holiday in Bournemouth as a teen.
The comedian rose to fame on ITV variety show Saturday Royal in the early 1980s.
He went on to host the pilot episode of what would become Blind Date and made regular appearances on the likes of Surprise! Surprise! and The Bob Monkhouse Show.
In 2011 he appeared in Celebrity Come Dine With Me with Sean Hughes, Gina Yashere and Paul Tonkinson.
Fellow comic Steve Royle wrote on social media: “A comedy legend and a lovely man. I’m so lucky to have known and worked with him. Thanks for the memories mate. RIP & get Saint Peter to chase you!’
Comedian Danny Posthill wrote: “So sad to hear of the passing of Duncan Norvelle, a very funny man with the most incredible Charisma and a lovely guy to top it off. RIP Sir.’
Journalist Garry Bushell added: “So sorry to hear we have lost loveable comic Duncan Norvelle. Angels are chasing him now.”
Jess Conrad OBE said: “I’m sorry to hear of the passing of @DuncanChaseMe. He was a fixture on the showbiz circuit for years with his famous “chase me!” catchphrase.
“Gone way too young, he will be dearly missed.”
Linda went on to say Norvelle was a true family man.
She told The Sun: “He loved to come home after his shows… he always wanted to come home and sing to Yasmine when she was a baby in a cot. He would say ‘everything I do is for you bubba'”.
She said following his stroke, Norvelle was determined to “prove everyone wrong” and get back on the stage – and he did.
He first show back was a fundraiser for murdered soldier Lee Rigby.
“He did this show for his son, and Duncan was paralysed on the left side but still managed to go on and storm the place,” Linda said.
“He changed his catch phrase from ‘chase me’ to ‘push me’.
“He got the adrenaline going and after that I was taking bookings for him all the time.”
He went on to raise money at further shows for the Stroke Association and was made an ambassador.
STROKE RECOVERY
Before the stroke, he had been complaining of a “terrible headache” and went to bed early.
But when he got up his collapsed on the floor. On waking up he move the left side of his body and knew what happened.
Norvelle was put into an induced coma and was in hospital nine weeks in total.
Doctors told him he may never walk again.
He said previously: “I felt this one jolting through my entire body and it seemed to go on for ever.
“I saw a lot of stroke patients give up and not question what the doctors were saying to them but I was determined to get better and live my life,” he added.
Once he was in hospital, the TV star suffered a second stroke.
Experts at the Stroke Association revealed one in eight patients die within the first 30 days of having a stroke.
Of those who survive, one in three will be left with severe cognitive disabilities such as memory loss or language difficulties.
But Norvelle was miraculously able to make a full recovery, including recovering clear speech and only relying on a stick for support to walk.
He campaigned to raise awareness after the medical episodes.
“I would urge people to get their blood pressure checked regularly and to get help straight away if they experience sudden facial or arm weakness or slurred speech as these are all symptoms of a stroke,” he warned.
“It’s a killer and I consider myself to be one of the lucky ones.”
When Linda visited him in the hospital at the start of his recovery, she was told he had a heart attack.
“When I saw him I was shocked. His face had fallen and he couldn’t lift his head from the pillow. I hadn’t realised how serious a stroke could be,” she said.
Norvelle’s manager said: “Duncan was a British comedy icon . Well ahead of his time with comedy.
“He absolutely loved show business and gave a lot of happiness to lots of people.
“Even after his strokes he still performed racing money for others.
“It was a pleasure to manage Duncan for a few years in which we re-released his album Music from My Life.
“Apart from working together Duncan become good friends with myself, Paul Shed and Gary Goodmaze from Celebtime.
“We are deeply sorry to hear this sad news.”
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