The British comedy community is still mourning the shocking loss of The Young Ones star Rik Mayall, who died on Monday at the age of 56. He had appeared healthy in his last film footage and no cause of death has been released. In the meantime, his daughter, Bonnie, 18, has taken to Facebook to pay tribute to her father.
Mayall’s management confirmed Monday that he passed away, but they gave no cause of death. The comedian had already survived one near-death experience in 1998 with a bike accident and continued to work on television until his death.
“My dad was loved not only by my family, but by many many others. We will never forget him and neither will the world,” Bonnie wrote on her Facebook page after her father’s death was announced, notes Sky News. “R.I.P to the man, the myth, the legend - my wonderful, generous, foul-mouthed and hysterical father. My idol now and forever. We love you daddy.”
According to The Telegraph, Mayall was recently in the Netherlands to make De Ontsnapping (The Escape) and footage on the set showed him looking healthy. It was posted on the film’s Facebook page last week. The crew just posted a tribute to him Monday.
Mayall is survived by his wife, Barbara Robbin, who reportedly found him dead at their home, and two other children.
Sky News reports that he may have suffered from epilepsy after the bike accident. “Maybe he had a fit, maybe it was his heart. We just don't know,” his wife said.