{"id":607615,"date":"2019-04-16T06:53:38","date_gmt":"2019-04-16T06:53:38","guid":{"rendered":"
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Stand-up comedian Ian Cognito was performing at a comedy club in Bicester when he fell ill on-stage<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Veteran stand-up comedian Ian Cognito has died on stage during a performance.<\/p>\n

The 60-year-old comic sat down on a stool while breathing heavily, before falling silent for five minutes during his show on Thursday.<\/p>\n

Compere Andrew Bird said the crowd at the The Atic bar in Bicester had thought it was a joke, and continued to laugh, unaware something was wrong.<\/p>\n

South Central Ambulance Service confirmed Cognito was pronounced dead at the scene.<\/p>\n

Mr Bird, who runs the Lone Wolf Comedy Club event at the venue, said Cognito had not been feeling well before the gig started, but insisted on going on stage.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\u201cHe was like his old self, his voice was loud. I was thinking \u2018he\u2019s having such a good gig\u2019,\u201d Mr Bird said.<\/p>\n

Mr Bird said Cognito had even joked about his health during his set, telling the audience: \u201cImagine if I died in front of you lot here.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was Mr Bird who first went on stage to check if his fellow comedian was okay.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone in the crowd, me included, thought he was joking,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven when I walked on stage and touched his arm I was expecting him to say \u2018boo\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018Proper comic\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

Once it became clear something was wrong, two off-duty A&E nurses and a police officer began chest compressions and an ambulance was called.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Audience member John Ostojak said: \u201cOnly 10 minutes before he sat down he joked about having a stroke.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe said, \u2018imagine having a stroke and waking up speaking Welsh\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr Ostojak said: \u201cWe came out feeling really sick, we just sat there for five minutes watching him, laughing at him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr Bird said dying on stage would have been the way the veteran comic \u201cwould have wanted to go\u201d, \u201cexcept he\u2019d want more money and a bigger venue\u201d.<\/p>\n

Cognito, whose real name was Paul Barbieri, was born in London in 1958, and had been performing since the mid-1980s.<\/p>\n

Fellow comedians have paid tribute, describing him as a \u201cproper comic\u201d and praising his support for up-and-coming acts.<\/p>\n

Eight Out Of Ten Cats presenter Jimmy Carr paid tribute to Cognito, saying: \u201cI\u2019ll never forget his kindness when I started out\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

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Veteran stand-up comedian Ian Cognito has died on-stage \u2013 literally. The audience thought it was part of the act. Died with his boots on. That\u2019s commitment to comedy. I\u2019ll never forget his kindness when I started out & how god damn funny he was.\u2014 Jimmy Carr (@jimmycarr)\u00a0April 12, 2019<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Comedian and columnist Mark Steel said the comic was \u201ca difficult awkward hilarious troubled brilliant sort, a proper comic\u201d.<\/p>\n

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Oh bless that Ian Cognito, who expired in his natural home last night, on stage. He was a difficult awkward hilarious troubled brilliant sort; a proper comic.\u2014 Mark Steel (@mrmarksteel)\u00a0April 12, 2019<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

BBC Radio 4 Extra\u2019s comedy club presenter Arthur Smith said Cognito was \u201chugely admired by his fellow comics\u201d.<\/p>\n

Rufus Hound\u00a0said on Twitter: \u201cWe have lost one of the greats\u201d.<\/p>\n

Shappi Khorsandi said it was \u201csuch a sad shock\u201d, and Cognito was \u201cone of the people who made this job brilliant\u201d.<\/p>\n

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Such a sad shock. Ian Cognito has died. One of the people who made this job brilliant from the very beginning has gone. I got so excited to be on bills with him and watch him work and have a beer after. And those eyes! Those beautiful eyes. Much love to all friends and family xx\u2014 Shappi Khorsandi (@ShappiKhorsandi)\u00a0April 12, 2019<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Little Britain actor and comedian\u00a0Matt Lucas wrote he was \u201cin shock at the news\u201d, and described Cognito as \u201cbrilliant and provocative and entirely original on stage\u201d.<\/p>\n

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Birmingham\u2019s Glee Club comedy venue also paid tribute.<\/p>\n

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We\u2019re all very sad to hear of the passing of the legendary Ian Cognito. He was original, always hilarious, sometimes offensive and the true definition of \u2018one of a kind\u2019. R.I.P Cogs x\u00a0pic.twitter.com\/KxV7hyTt6b\u2014 Glee Club Birmingham (@GleeClubBham)\u00a0April 12, 2019<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Cognito, who was based in Bristol, won the Time Out Award for stand-up comedy in 1999.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mr Bird said: \u201cHe acted like he was bitter on stage, but he was nothing like that.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was in it for the love of stand-up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Source: BBC<\/p>\n

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