Tony Slattery

Tony Slattery (9 November 1959 – 14 January 2025) was a British actor and comedian. He appeared on British television regularly from the mid-1980s, including as a regular on the Channel 4 improvisation show Whose Line Is It Anyway?. His serious and comedic film work included roles in The Crying Game, Peter's Friends and How to Get Ahead in Advertising. Slattery was born in Stonebridge, London, into a working-class background, the fifth and last child of Catholic Irish immigrants. At the University of Cambridge, Slattery discovered a love of the theatre, taking delight in making people laugh. He met Stephen Fry, who invited him to join the Cambridge Footlights. Other members at that time included Hugh Laurie, Emma Thompson, Sandi Toksvig, Jan Ravens and Richard Vranch. In April 2019, an interview with Slattery was published in The Guardian, which led to his participation in a television documentary. In 2020 Slattery and his partner Mark Hutchinson were featured in an edition of the BBC Horizon series entitled "What's the Matter with Tony Slattery?" In a detailed examination of his mental health, childhood trauma and substance addictions, medical professionals concluded that Slattery continued to experience the effects of trauma relating to childhood sexual abuse; was on the bipolar spectrum; and suffered alcohol dependence. The professionals advised Slattery on steps to take to improve his mental health and his physical wellbeing . His friend Sir Stephen Fry led a tribute on BBC Radio 4's obituary series Last Word .