''Live from Her Majesty's'', ''Live from the Piccadilly'' and ''Live from the Palladium'' were Sunday night live

entertainment Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and Interest (emotion), interest of an audience or gives pleasure and delight. It can be an idea or a task, but it is more likely to be one of the activities or events that have deve ...

variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

television shows that aired on ITV from 16 January 1983 to 27 November 1988 and were hosted by Jimmy Tarbuck. Each was broadcast live from a theatre in London and followed in the tradition of earlier variety spectacles such as ''

Sunday Night at the Palladium ''Tonight at the London Palladium'' is a British television variety show that is hosted from the London Palladium theatre in the West End. Originally produced by ATV for the ITV network from 1955 to 1969, it went by its original name ''Sunday ...

''.

Death of Tommy Cooper

During the second series of ''Live from Her Majesty's'' on 15 April 1984, comedian

Tommy Cooper Thomas Frederick Cooper (19 March 1921 – 15 April 1984) was a Welsh prop comedian and magician. As an entertainer, his appearance was large and lumbering at , and he habitually wore a red fez when performing. He served in the British Army ...

collapsed and died after suffering a massive

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when Ischemia, blood flow decreases or stops in one of the coronary arteries of the heart, causing infarction (tissue death) to the heart muscle. The most common symptom ...

. Cooper collapsed against the curtain, and most members of the audience were laughing, assuming that it was a joke Cooper was playing. It was not until compere Jimmy Tarbuck realised that the drop was not part of Cooper's routine, that the production crew suddenly realised what had occurred. The show continued after an earlier than planned commercial break and after Tarbuck was reportedly informed Cooper was recovering. Backstage, while the show continued with

Howard Keel Harold Clifford Keel (April 13, 1919November 7, 2004), professionally Howard Keel, was an American actor and singer known for his rich bass-baritone singing voice. He starred in a number of MGM musicals in the 1950s, including ''Show Boat'' (195 ...

's performance, paramedics frantically attempted to revive Cooper, but he was pronounced dead on arrival at

Westminster Hospital Westminster Hospital was a hospital in London, England, founded in 1719. In 1834 a medical school attached to the hospital was formally founded. In 1939 a newly built hospital and medical school opened in Horseferry Road, Westminster. In 1994 the ...

. His death was not officially reported until the next morning, although the incident led the ITN News bulletin which followed the show.

Transmissions

References

{{reflist 1983 British television series debuts 1988 British television series endings British English-language television shows British variety television shows Filmed deaths of entertainers ITV (TV network) original programming London Weekend Television shows Television series by ITV Studios