{{Short description|English comedy writer (1960–2025)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = Bill Dare | image = | caption = | birth_name = William Dare Jones | birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1960|05|16}} | birth_place = Westminster, London, England | death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|2025|03|02|1960|05|16}} | death_place = | known_for = ''Dead Ringers''<br />''The Now Show'' | occupation = Author, director, writer, producer | parents = Peter Jones and Jeri Jones | alma_mater = University of Manchester }}
'''William Dare Jones''' (16 May 1960 – 2 March 2025), known professionally as '''Bill Dare''', was an English writer and producer of radio and television comedy programmes.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-04-02 |title=How to get producers and agents to read your scripts – BCG Pro |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/pro/inside_track/getting_your_script_seen_video/ |access-date=2023-08-31 |website=British Comedy Guide |language=en}}</ref>
==Early life== Bill Dare Jones was born in Westminster, London on 16 May 1960,<ref name="tele">{{cite news |title=Bill Dare, creative force behind comedy shows from Spitting Image to Dead Ringers |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2025/03/05/bill-dare-spitting-image-dead-ringers-bbc-comedy-culshaw/ |access-date=5 March 2025 |publisher=The Telegraph |date=5 March 2025}}</ref> the son of actor, screenwriter and broadcaster Peter Jones.<ref name=mirror/> He attended Manchester University.<ref name="Young1993-06-05">{{cite news |last=Young |first=Graham |date=1993-06-05 |title=Spitting Image celebrates its 100th edition next week – but producer Bill Dare admits the Royal Family's antics have now upstaged the famous show itself! |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-evening-mail/131170635/ |newspaper=Birmingham Evening Mail |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=2023-09-04 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230904000036/https://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-evening-mail/131170635/ |archivedate=2023-09-04 }}</ref>
==Career== Dare was an author and producer/devisor of various (mainly comedy) programmes mainly for BBC Radio and television, including ''The Mary Whitehouse Experience'', ''Dead Ringers'', ''The Now Show'', ''The Late Edition'', ''I've Never Seen Star Wars'' and ''The Secret World'', and ''Brian Gulliver's Travels''. He was also the producer of eight series of ITV's ''Spitting Image''.<ref name="Smith1996-06-12">{{cite news |last=Smith |first=Andrew |date=1993-06-12 |title=Puppet masters |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-journal/131171471/ |newspaper=The Journal |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=2023-09-04 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230904001525/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-journal/131171471/ |archivedate=2023-09-04 }}</ref> A notable feature of the radio version of ''Dead Ringers'' was Jon Culshaw imitating the voice of Tom Baker at the end of the credits, saying Dare's name in an exaggerated fashion.
==Personal life and death== Dare had a daughter from a relationship with Mary Downes. He married Lucy Jagger in 2020.<ref name="independent-death"/><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2025/mar/07/bill-dare-obituary | title=Bill Dare obituary | work=The Guardian | date=7 March 2025 | last1=Hayward | first1=Anthony |author-link=Anthony Hayward }}</ref>
Dare died in a car accident on 1 March 2025 whilst on holiday in Colombia, aged 64.<ref name="tele"/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Bill Dare Biography |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1124238/bio/?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm |access-date=2026-04-05 |website=www.imdb.com}}</ref> He was a passenger in the vehicle, and his death was announced by his agent two days later.<ref name="independent-death">{{Cite news |last=Muir |first=Ellie |date=4 March 2025 |title=Bill Dare death: Spitting Image star dies after overseas accident |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/bill-dare-death-dead-ringers-spitting-image-b2708521.html |access-date=4 March 2025 |work=The Independent |language=en}}</ref><ref name="mirror">{{cite news |last1=Duff |first1=Seamus |title=Spitting Image and Radio 4 comedy genius Bill Dare dies in accident abroad |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/breaking-spitting-images-bill-dare-34789084 |access-date=3 March 2025 |work=Daily Mirror |date=3 March 2025}}</ref><ref name="bbc-death">{{Cite news |last=Rawnsley |first=Jessica |date=2025-03-04 |title=Bill Dare: Spitting Image and Dead Ringers creator dies |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm2yme20rypo |access-date=2025-03-04 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref>
Many comedians and industry colleagues paid tribute to Bill Dare.<ref name="independent-death"/><ref name="standard-death">{{Cite web |last=Crabbe |first=Ellie |date=2025-03-04 |title=Dead Ringers creator Bill Dare dies after accident overseas, says agent |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/bill-dare-death-dead-ringers-bbc-spitting-image-b1214494.html |access-date=2025-03-04 |website=The Standard |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Tributes paid to 'wisest comedy alchemist' as Spitting Image star and Dead Ringers producer dies in tragic 'accident' |url=https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/entertainment/spitting-image-dead-ringers-star-and-dead-ringers-bill-dare/ |access-date=2025-03-04 |website=LBC |language=en}}</ref> ''Dead Ringers'' dedicated their 25th Anniversary Tour to his memory.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Guide |first=British Comedy |date=2025-04-24 |title=Dead Ringers 25th Anniversary Tour to pay tribute to creator Bill Dare |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/live/news/8329/dead-ringers-2025-tour/ |access-date=2026-04-05 |website=British Comedy Guide |language=en}}</ref> ''Dead Ringers'' star Jon Culshaw remembered Dare as the "wisest comedy alchemist and the dearest, dearest friend."
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|1124238}} * {{discogs artist|Bill Dare}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Dare, Bill}} Category:1960 births Category:2025 deaths Category:British radio writers Category:British comedy writers Category:British television writers Category:British television producers Category:British radio show creators Category:People educated at St John's School, Leatherhead Category:Writers from Westminster Category:English satirists Category:British satirical radio show creators Category:British satirical television show creators