Andy Smart

{{Short description|British comedian (1959–2023)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}} {{Infobox person | name =  | image = Andy Smart Glastonbury 2019.jpg | alt =  | caption = Smart performing in 2019 | birth_name =  | birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1959|06|16}} | birth_place = Southsea, Hampshire, England | death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2023|05|16|1959|06|16}} | death_place = | other_names = | occupation = Comedian, actor, writer and TV panel show participant | years_active = | known_for = | notable_works = | spouse =  | partner =  | children = 2 | relatives = | family = }}

'''Andy Smart''' (16 June 1959 – 16 May 2023) was an English comedian.

Smart performed as a guest with The Comedy Store Players for over 13 years, and a permanent member from 1995. Before joining the Players he was one half of the Vicious Boys with Angelo Abela. Together they won the 1984 Time Out Street Entertainer Award and later appeared on LWT's ''Wake Up London'' and Channel 4's ''The Tube'', where, dressed as a bell boy and pretending to be a Great Dane, Smart licked Paula Yates' face.thumb|255x255px|alt=|1985 Edinburgh Fringe. Andy Smart performing as a street entertainer. (Angelo Abela is sitting behind him)

Smart presented the 1987 NFL season on Channel 4 alongside Abela.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chortle.co.uk/comics/a/82/andy_smart|title=Andy Smart, comedian tour dates : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide|website=www.chortle.co.uk}}</ref>

On ''The Graham Norton Show'', Martin Freeman once mentioned that Smart saved him from choking on crisps using the Heimlich manoeuvre.<ref>{{Citation|title=Martin Freeman has a fear of choking - The Graham Norton Show - BBC| date=13 April 2018 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDU4Y3BSSTk |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/IDU4Y3BSSTk |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|language=en|access-date=2021-08-11}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

He released a book about his life and career, ''A Hitch in Time: From Liverpool to Pamplona on a 72,000-Mile Road Trip'', in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hitch-Time-Andy-Smart-ebook/dp/B07VHNFQRP/|title=A Hitch in Time: From Liverpool to Pamplona on a 72,000-Mile Road Trip|first=Andy|last=Smart|date=25 July 2019|publisher=Automobile Association|via=Amazon}}</ref>

== Personal life and death == Smart had a daughter, Grace (born 1993), a set designer, with actress and playwright Victoria Willing, and a son, Joe.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Smurthwaite|first=Nick|url=https://www.thestage.co.uk/features/designer-grace-smart-i-once-broke-into-a-theatre-at7am-to-repaint-the-stage|title=Designer Grace Smart: 'I once broke into a theatre at 7am to repaint the stage'|date=19 June 2017|work=The Stage|access-date=9 June 2022}}</ref>

Smart was a supporter of Farnborough F.C. and appeared on Farnborough FC Radio as a co-commentator.

Smart died on 16 May 2023, at the age of 63.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Chrisp |first1=Kitty |title=Comedian Andy Smart, 63, dies 'unexpectedly' |url=https://metro.co.uk/2023/05/17/comedian-andy-smart-63-has-died-unexpectedly-18798907/ |access-date=17 May 2023 |publisher=Metro |date=17 May 2023}}</ref> It was announced by his daughter, Grace.<ref>{{Cite tweet |ref={{harvid|AndyCSP|Smart|2023}} |last=Smart |first=Andy |user=AndyCSP |number= 1658799226086670337 |date=17 May 2023 |title=Hi this is Grace, Andy's daughter, I'm very sorry to let you all know that dad passed away unexpectedly last night. He had so many friends and such a great life. Raise a glass for him. G x |access-date=17 May 2023}}</ref>

==References== <references />

==External links== {{commons category-inline}} * [https://www.comedystoreplayers.com/andy/ Comedy Store Players page] * {{IMDb name|id=0806644|name=Andy Smart}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Smart, Andy}} Category:1959 births Category:2023 deaths Category:English male comedians Category:People from Southsea Category:20th-century English comedians Category:21st-century English comedians Category:Comedians from Hampshire