Frank Skinner announces special tribute podcast to friend and co-star Gareth Richards, 41, who has died of brain injuries two weeks after horror car crash

• Comedian Gareth Richards has died aged 41 nearly two weeks after car crash
• Passed a week after former co-host Frank Skinner gave emotional tribute on air

Frank Skinner has announced a special tribute podcast to friend and co-star Gareth Richards, 41, who died of brain injuries following a horror car crash.

Comedian Richards passed away at 6.30pm on Good Friday after being in hospital for two weeks, with scans revealing his injuries were so severe that his supportive medications had to be removed to allow him to ‘be at peace’.

The married father-of-two co-hosted with Frank Skinner on Absolute Radio for The Frank Skinner Show on Saturday mornings.

After the accident on Monday 27 March at 11.30pm, Skinner, 66, broke down in tears live on air as he told listeners Richards was in a coma and fighting for his life.

Now Skinner is dedicating an episode of the podcast to Gareth, with a tweet from the show announcing that it will feature ‘some of his Best Bits’, adding that they will ‘miss him greatly’.

Frank Skinner has announced a special tribute podcast to friend and co-star Gareth Richards, 41, (pictured) who died of brain injuries following a horror car crash 

The married father-of-two co-hosted with Frank Skinner (pictured on Monday) on Absolute Radio for The Frank Skinner Show on Saturday mornings 

Now Skinner is dedicating an episode of the podcast to Gareth, with a tweet from the show announcing that it will feature ‘some of his Best Bits’, adding that they will ‘miss him greatly’

The tweet read: ‘We are heartbroken about the loss of our dear friend, Gareth. We will miss him greatly. Tomorrow we will be releasing a podcast of some of his Best Bits on our show.’

It is believed Richards was injured in a serious accident between two cars and an HGV on the M25 near Heathrow Airport.

A man, thought to be Richards, was cut free from his vehicle by firefighters before being treated by the London Ambulance Service for head and chest injuries.

Gareth’s wife Laura announced the tragic news on her Facebook page, penning: ‘It is with great sadness that I have to share that Gareth passed away on Friday April 7 (Good Friday) at 6.30pm.

‘He was in a terrible car accident on Monday March 27 at 11.30pm and sustained serious brain injuries.

‘It was a miracle that he arrived at the hospital alive.

‘Since then, the doctors and nurses have been incredible and have kept him in a stable and sedated condition.

‘However, the latest scan revealed that the extent of the damage was so severe that they would have to remove all of the supportive medications and allow him to be at peace.

‘The boys are bearing up well.’

Emily Dean, who co-hosted alongside Richards and Skinner when the Absolute Radio show first aired, called him: ‘my hilarious, unfailingly kind, gentle, beautiful friend.’ 

The trio hosted the show together for two years. 

The tweet read: ‘We are heartbroken about the loss of our dear friend, Gareth. We will miss him greatly. Tomorrow we will be releasing a podcast of some of his Best Bits on our show’

Emily Dean, who co-hosted alongside Richards and Skinner when the Absolute Radio show first aired, called him: ‘my hilarious, unfailingly kind, gentle, beautiful friend’

Comedian Richards passed away at 6.30pm on Good Friday after being in hospital for two weeks, with scans revealing his injuries were so severe that his supportive medications had to be removed to allow him to ‘be at peace’

Richards has been performing comedy live since 2004, and has been planning to take his tenth solo show to festival this August. 

As well as Frank Skinner’s radio show, he appeared on Russel Howard’s Good News, BBC Radio 1,  BBC Radio 2, and BBC Radio 4.

Last week, on his Saturday morning show, a tearful Skinner told listeners: ‘One thing you have to learn to do in this line of work is to put on a false front and the show must go on, and that’s what happened this morning.

‘We have been doing this show for 14 years and when we first did the pilot for it, me and Emily, it was rubbish, just the two of us.

‘We got a guest on the next one who was Gareth Richards, who was brilliant on here and we asked him to do the show.

‘So for the first few years it was me, Em and Gareth. It was great, exciting times. 

‘He became a very close friend and has supported me on tour. Gareth and Emily are very, very close.’

Details of the funeral have not yet been announced as his family grieve. 

Laura added: ‘There will be details of the funeral and other ways to remember Gareth to follow, as I know that he was well loved.

‘At the moment the grief is a lot to cope with. Thank you all for your support and kindness.’

After the crash, Richards’ mother, Mary, asked her friends to ‘pray’ for her son.

She said: ‘Our lovely eldest son Gareth was involved in a major collision on the M25. 

‘He is now in hospital and the prognosis is not looking good apart from a major miracle.

‘We are able to sit with him amidst all tubes and machinery as he is not in any pain.

‘Please pray for us as a family.’

Big names across the industry have come out in force to pay tribute to Richards. 

Stand up Jason Manford, 41, said: ‘Myself and the whole team at Manfords Comedy Club are devastated to hear the news that Gareth Richards passed away today.

The crash Richards was injured in is believed to have been a serious accident between an HGV van and two cars on the M25 near Heathrow Airport on March 27 (pictured)

Richards’ wife Laura announced the news in an emotional statement shared by comedy bookers Mirth Control

 A man, thought to be Richards, was cut free from his vehicle by firefighters before being treated by the London Ambulance Service for head and chest injuries

Stand up Jason Manford, 41, said he was a ‘wonderfully inventive and funny comedian but more importantly a kind and thoughtful man’

Off Menu and Great British Menu host Ed Gamble, 37, recalled fond memories of the ‘kindest, gentlest soul’

Mock the Week regular Rhys James, 31, called his friend ‘a giant of joke writing’

‘He was a wonderfully inventive and funny comedian but more importantly a kind and thoughtful man.

‘Our thoughts are with his wife and children at this time.’

Off Menu and Great British Menu host Ed Gamble, 37, added: ‘When I did the Comedy Zone at the Fringe in 2009 I felt completely out of my depth.

‘Luckily for me, I was sharing a bill with Gareth Richards.

‘The kindest, gentlest soul I have ever encountered in comedy and a towering talent.

‘Don’t quite know how to compute that we’ve lost him.’ 

Mock the Week regular Rhys James, 31, called his friend ‘lovely and hilarious’.

He said: ‘I was a fan of Gareth Richards before I met him and was so thrilled by how lovely and hilarious he was offstage as well as on.

‘A giant of joke writing. A pleasure to know and an honour to die on my a**e alongside at some real stinker network gigs back in the day.’

Angela Barnes said that it was ‘the news we’ve all been dreading’.

She added: ‘He was so funny and, above all, so kind and gentle.

‘Love and strength to his family and friends and his comedy family who are all reeling from this.’ 

Fellow radio DJ and Fantasy Football League host Elis James, 42, who started comedy at the same time as Richards, paid tribute to a ‘kind and gentle’ man. 

Fellow radio DJ and Fantasy Football League host Elis James, 42, who started comedy at the same time as Richards, paid tribute to a ‘kind and gentle’ man

Stand up Angela Barnes, 46, said that everyone had been ‘dreading’ the news

Radio DJ and Edinburgh Comedy Award winner John Robins, 40, who knew Richards for 15 years, called him a ‘lovely, lovely man’

 Late Night Mash host Rachel Paris, 38, called Richards a ‘lovely man’ who was ‘funny and gentle and imaginative and curious’

Former Soccer AM presenter Lloyd Griffith, 39, added that he was: ‘the kindest man’

He said: ‘I’m so sad to hear about Gareth Richards. 

‘We started comedy at the same time and I was totally  in awe of his talent but more importantly I was always struck by how kind and gentle a man he was.

‘Just a complete delight to be around. My thoughts are with his family.’ 

James’ 5-live co-host John Robins, 40, added: ‘Thinking of dear Gareth and his family.

‘A kind and gentle soul who I feel very lucky to have known for the last 15 years.

‘A truly great comedian and a lovely lovely man.

‘Rest in peace G Man.’ 

Late Night Mash host Rachel Paris, 38, called Richards a ‘lovely man’ who was ‘funny and gentle and imaginative and curious’.

Former Soccer AM presenter and Ted Lasso star Lloyd Griffith, 39, added: ‘you were the kindest man ever, and so so funny.

‘I used to watch this over and over again when I first got into comedy. Rest in peace pal.’

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