Writer, comedian, musician, poet — and one of the true originals. Long before alternative comedy had a name, Spike was bending radio, television and language into shapes no one had tried before. The Goon Show wasn’t just a hit; it rewired British humour. Without it, a lot of what followed simply doesn’t happen.

He could move from total nonsense to something quietly profound in the space of a sentence. One minute surreal chaos, the next something deeply human. He spoke openly about his struggles with mental health at a time when few public figures did. That honesty mattered.

And of course, there’s the headstone. After a long-running battle to get his chosen words approved, his gravestone in Gaelic reads: “I told you I was ill.” It’s funny, defiant, and completely him.

Spike never sounded like anyone else. He didn’t follow trends. He made them.

Still missed. Still quoted. Still making people laugh!