Barry Chuckle mourners allowed to pay respects outside Rotherham United stadium

OHMYGOSSIP — Barry Chuckle’s family have invited fans to pay their respects outside the New York Stadium in Rotherham today (17.08.18).
The ‘ChuckleVision’ actor – whose real name was Paul Elliott – passed away after a battle with cancer earlier this month aged 73, and will be laid to rest with a private ceremony at the stadium grounds of his and his brother and co-star Paul Chuckle’s favourite football club, Rotherham United, which they are honorary presidents of.
Those who wish to pay tribute to Barry will be able to gather at the front of the building.
A statement by the late comedian’s family reads: “As a family we would welcome fans to celebrate his life and pay their respects with us, outside of the New York Stadium.
“There is an event for invited family and close friends which respectfully is private and by invite only.
“We are overwhelmed with the love and support we have received over the last few days, and thank everyone concerned!”
Paul and Barry were known for their “to me, to you” catchphrase, and the late star was honoured by football fans at the Rotherham v Ipswich game on Saturday (11.08.18) when home and away supporters started chanting the famous saying between them.
Asked if the moment reduced him to tears, Rotherham fan Paul – who attended the game – said: “It did – it started with one end shouting ‘to me’ and the other end ‘to you’.
“We didn’t mean it as a catchphrase but it just caught on, and now everybody does it.”
Paul, 70, recently shared how Barry only told him he was suffering from cancer two months before his death – because he wanted to “die on stage like Tommy Cooper”.
He had suffered from the disease for two years but didn’t tell him the full extent of his illness until a few months before he passed, for fear he would be forced to stop working and “making people laugh”.
Paul said: “He had pains in his legs for round about two years. Before we went to pantomime a couple of years ago he had pains in his legs.
“He was telling me what it was like, and I’ve had sciatica before and it’s very, very painful. I said, ‘It sounds like sciatica,’ and that’s what he kept telling me it was for two years.
“He kept it from me and he kept it from our manager Phil. He didn’t want us to know because we would’ve said ‘no’, but he wanted to work until he died. He wanted to die on stage like Tommy Cooper. He just loved working, loved making people laugh. He was just a lovely guy.
“It was only a couple of months ago I find out he was even ill … that ill.”

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