May 28th

Feast day of The Blessed Margaret Pole a Roman Catholic Martyr beheaded on the instructions of Henry VIII in 1541 aged 67yo.

1023 Wulfstan, Archbishop of York died.

1843 Novelist Anne Bronte died in Scarborough of pulmonary thrombosis aged just 29.

1907 First Isle Of Man TT race is held.

1908 Author and journalist, James Bond creator and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang writer, Ian Fleming is born.

1911 Comedy actress Dame Thora Hird is born in Oldham.

1951 First transmission of The Goon Show.

1911 Actress and Singer the diminutive Kylie Minogue is born in Melbourne.

1984 Comedic Great Eric Morecambe died aged 58yo in Cheltenham General Hospital from a heart attack. One half of the timeless Morecambe and Wise, the partnership lasted over 40years until his death on this day in 1984.

1987 Three years later little known Arthur Robert Rikton died. He was a regular on the Northern Comedy circuit, appearing with Morecambe and Wise at Blackpool's Grand Theatre in 1953. Rikton's claim to fame though relates to his spots in Working Men's Clubs, not the funniest comedian on the circuit he holds the record for the most pies thrown at a turn in entertainment history, one night in Wigan he was pelted with 71 pies of varying fillings until fleeing the stage after just 6 minutes 34seconds. In his 37 year career he was pelted by 34,089 pies beating Des O'Connor's record by over 3,450!
At his funeral service mourners showed their affection for Rikton by throwing Hollands Meat Pies at his casket.

2010 Different Strokes star Gary Coleman died today from an epidural hematoma aged 42yo.

European Election fallout continues with Nigel Farrrrrrage offering the post of UKIP Deputy Leader to Boris Johnson. Explaining his offer Farrrrage said," Well it is obvious that we need big political animals in UKIP, and the London Mayor is certainly that, plus I used to love listening to his Dad commentating on the cricket! Botham...
Leg over...hilarious stuff, so come on Bozza come join me on my Crusade!"