Bob Mortimer pays tribute to 'surprisingly charming' Peter Stringfellow

Comedian Bob Mortimer has paid tribute to the entrepreneur and nightclub owner Peter Stringfellow, who has died at the age of 77.

Stringfellow died from cancer in the early hours of Thursday after spending time in hospital.

He appeared on the first episode of the first series of Shooting Stars, the panel show hosted by Mortimer and his comedy partner Vic Reeves (real name Jim Moir).

Mortimer told the Press Association: "I just remember Peter as a surprisingly charming, witty man who was great company.

"I've seen a few Tweets today, a lot of which are saying the same thing, contrary to what you might have thought."

Mortimer denied a character from a sketch he and Moir wrote and starred in - from their 1999 BBC series Bang, Bang, It's Reeves and Mortimer - was based on Stringellow.

In the show Moir played a character called Paul Baron, a nightclub owner with a long hairstyle similar to Stringfellow's, who starts putting on nights with dancing girls at the fictional club.

When asked if Baron was in anyway inspired by Stringfellow, Mortimer replied: "No he wasn't. I say that because he was based on a real life person that we knew."

Music star Boy George earlier tweeted: "R.I.P Peter Stringfellow. Wow, a big part of our lives and one of Sheffield's finest. What a character."

He added: "He introduced me and my mum to Princess Diana."