COLWYN Bay illusionist Stuart Loughland paid tribute to his friend Barry Chuckle, one of the Chuckle Brothers, who died at the weekend.

He said he was “totally shocked” and “very upset” at the news, and while there had been some talk of him not being well there was no indication it was as serious as it was, or that Barry had been battling a long term illness.

The Chuckle Brothers were a theatrical children’s comedy double act who came to prominence with their hit BBC TV show ChuckleVision.

Stuart, who has lived in Colwyn Bay all his life, said: “I knew him, and his brother Paul, very well, we went on 14 pantomime style theatrical tours of the UK together.

“I was a supporting act and also appeared in sketches with them.

“Normally supporting acts stayed with them for two years. But they liked what I did and I stayed with them for 14 tours, each going to about 60 theatres across the UK.

“ I performed a magic act and took part in some of their sketches.

“I first saw them in a summer show in Llandudno and from then on wanted to work on the same bill as them.

“We kept in touch after the tours finished. In fact I was last in contact with Barry only a month ago.

Stuart, whose runs a theatrical production company called Magic Light Productions, has produced eight pantomimes at Theatr Colwyn, appearing in each one as the Dame.

He added: “They were lovely to work with, we had fun all the time. Barry had a happy personality and was always very chatty and easy to get on with.

“One memory I have, was of both of them looking out of a theatre window in Felixstowe at a crane driver lifting and shifting steel girders,” added Stuart.

“They caught his eye and said their catch phrase: ‘To me, to you’, he seemed irritated and about to give them a piece of his mind when he suddenly realised who they were and was almost overcome with laughter.”