An actor falls sick on stage and dies during the show

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Veteran comedian Ian Cognito died on stage at a show.

The 60-year-old comic sits on a stool while breathing heavily before remaining silent for five minutes on his Thursday show.

Compere Andrew Bird said the crowd at The Atic Bar in Bicester had thought it was a joke and continued to laugh, unaware that something was wrong.

The south-south ambulance service confirmed that Cognito had been declared dead at the scene.

Mr. Bird, who runs the Lone Wolf Comedy Club event on site, said that Cognito did not feel well before the concert started, but insisted on going on stage.

"He looked like his old self, his voice was loud, I thought he was doing such a good job," Bird said.

Mr. Bird said that Cognito had even joked about his health during his set, telling the audience, "Imagine if I die in front of you, a lot here."

It's Mr. Bird who is the first to go on stage to check if his comedic comrade was doing well.

"Everyone in the crowd, including me, thought he was joking," he said.

"Even when I was walking on stage and touching his arm, I expected him to say" boo "."

"Comic"

When it became clear that something was wrong, two nurses (A & E) on leave and a police officer started doing chest compressions and an ambulance was called.

Public Member John Ostojak said, "Only 10 minutes before sitting down, he joked about having a stroke.

"He said 'imagine having a shot and waking up talking Welsh'."

Mr. Ostojak said: "We went out very sick, we sat there for five minutes looking at him, laughing at him."

Mr. Bird said that dying on stage would have been the way the veteran comedian "would have liked to go", "except that he would like more money and a bigger room".

Cognito, whose real name is Paul Barbieri, was born in London in 1958 and has been performing since the mid-1980s.

His fellow comedians paid tribute to him, describing him as a "real comic" and praising his support for future acts.

The presenter of eight out of ten cats, Jimmy Carr, paid tribute to Cognito stating, "I will never forget his kindness when I started …"

Veteran comedian Ian Cognito died on stage, literally. The public thought that this was part of the act. Dead with his boots. This is the commitment of comedy. I will never forget his kindness when I started and how damn funny he was.

– Jimmy Carr (@jimmycarr) April 12, 2019

Actor and columnist Mark Steel said the comedy was "a difficult, difficult, hilarious and brilliant genre, a real comic".

Oh, bless either Ian Cognito, who expired in his natural home last night, on stage. He was a tough guy, hilarious, clumsy and brilliant; a real comic.

– Mark Steel (@mrmarksteel) April 12, 2019

The presenter of the BBC Radio 4 Extra Comedy Club, Arthur Smith, said that Cognito was "extremely admired by his comrades of comics".

Rufus Hound says on Twitter: "We lost one of the biggest".

Shappi Khorsandi said it was "such a sad shock" and Cognito was "one of the people who made this work brilliant".

Such a sad shock. Ian Cognito is dead. One of the people who made this work brilliant from the beginning is gone. I was so excited to pay my bills with him and watch him work and have a beer afterwards. And those eyes! These beautiful eyes. Many love to all friends and family xx

– Shappi Khorsandi (@ShappiKhorsandi) April 12, 2019

Little Britain actor and comedian Matt Lucas wrote that he was "shocked by the news"and describes Cognito as "brilliant, provocative and totally original on stage".

The Glee Club comedy hall in Birmingham also paid tribute.

We are all very sad to learn of the pbading of the legendary Ian Cognito. He was original, always hilarious, sometimes offensive and represented the true definition of "unique person". R.I.P Cogs x pic.twitter.com/KxV7hyTt6b

– Glee Club Birmingham (@GleeClubBham) April 12, 2019

Cognito, who was based in Bristol, won the Time Out Award for his humor in 1999.

Mr. Bird said, "He acted like he was bitter on stage, but he looked nothing like that.

"He was in it for the sake of the stand-up."