{{Short description|English comedian (born 1942)}} {{Distinguish|Sid Little}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}} {{EngvarB|date=April 2020}} {{Infobox person | image = Syd Little.jpg | caption = | imagesize = 180px | name = Syd Little | birth_name = Cyril John Mead | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1942|12|19|df=y}} | birth_place = Blackpool, Lancashire, England | death_date = | death_place = | restingplace = | othername = | occupation = Television comedian | yearsactive = 1971–present | spouse = {{marriage|Sheree Little|1975}} | partner = | children = 2 | website = }}
'''Syd Little''' (born '''Cyril John Mead'''; 19 December 1942) is an English comedian who was the straight man in the double act Little and Large, with Eddie Large.<ref name=indy01>{{cite news|date= 1 June 2010 |title= Little and Large 'haven't spoken for a long time' |url= https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/little-and-large-havent-spoken-for-a-long-time-1988413.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220526/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/little-and-large-havent-spoken-for-a-long-time-1988413.html |archive-date=26 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |newspaper= The Independent|agency=PA |accessdate= 10 October 2011 }}</ref>
==Life and career== Born in Blackpool,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/life/911812/comedian-syd-little-eddie-large-little-and-large-double-act|title=Comedian Syd Little: Where is he now?|first=Tony|last=Padman|date=3 February 2018|website=Daily Express}}</ref> Little was raised in Manchester. After leaving Yew Tree Secondary Modern School, Wythenshawe, and working as an interior decorator, Little began his performing career as a singer and guitarist in Manchester pubs before teaming up with Large. Originally titled ''Cyril Mead and Friend'', then ''Mead and McGinnis'',<ref name=LDP>{{cite news|title= Syd's getting there, Little by Little |author= Philip Key |date= 7 December 2007 |newspaper= Liverpool Daily Post |url= http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-life-features/liverpool-arts/2007/12/07/syd-s-getting-there-little-by-little-64375-20215736/ |accessdate= 10 October 2011 }}</ref> after changing their name to ''Little and Large'' their double act won ''Opportunity Knocks'' in 1971<ref name=indy01 /> leading to a successful 20-year television career. The partnership's first television pilot was recorded in 1976, followed by a regular series in 1977.<ref name=LDP /> After switching to the BBC, their show was cancelled in 1991.<ref name=indy01 />
After the cancellation of ''The Little and Large Show'', Little appeared occasionally on shows such as ''Shooting Stars'', until 2005 when he took part in the reality television show ''Trust Me I'm A Holiday Rep''. He also appeared in ''The Bob Monkhouse Show'', ''Wogan'' and ''Comedy Map of Britain''.
In 2015, Little took part in BBC One's ''Celebrity MasterChef'' and made it through to the third round.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/mLF39SLgK7Ptqk8qq96wx4/heat-2|title=BBC Celebrity Masterchef 2015|date=n.d.|website=|access-date=}}</ref>
In 2018, he appeared in the fly-on-the-wall documentary ''The Real Marigold Hotel''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/mediapacks/realmarigolds3/little|title=BBC – Syd Little – Media Centre|website=bbc.co.uk}}</ref>
In April 2020 Eddie Large died. Shortly afterwards, Syd's agent Alan Hamilton of Hamilton Management issued a statement in which Syd stated ‘I am devastated to have lost not just my comedy partner of 60 years, but my friend of 60 years’.
In 2022, Little appeared on Sky UK's ''Celebrity Auction House (S2, E5)'' and raised over £1,000 for his "new pet project". He auctioned several personal items, including his electric guitar, which he signed.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Celebrity Yorkshire Auction House |url=https://www.sky.com/watch/title/series/4a1496d0-8178-4ea8-ad1f-33857257ab8a/celebrity-yorkshire-auction-house-4a1496d0-8178-4ea8-ad1f-33857257ab8a/episodes/season-2/episode-5 |access-date=2023-12-25 |website=Sky |language=en-GB}}</ref>
Little lives with his wife and son in Fleetwood, where they run the ''Steamer Pub and Little Restaurant.''<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Steamer: Fleetwood {{!}} Home |url=http://www.thesteamerfleetwood.foodanddrinksites.co.uk/ |access-date=2023-12-25 |website=www.thesteamerfleetwood.foodanddrinksites.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Syd and Sheree Helping Squaddies |url=https://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news/people/fleetwood-soldier-pops-in-to-thank-syd-and-sheree-little-for-helping-get-parcels-to-overseas-squaddies-4022552}}</ref>
== Bibliography == *Little, S. and Gidney, C. 2004. ''Little by Little''. Canterbury Press, Norwich. pp. 256 *Little, S. 1999. ''Little Goes a Long Way: My Own Story''. Harper Collins. pp. 176
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{IMDb name|0514670}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Little, Syd}} Category:1942 births Category:Living people Category:Comedians from Lancashire Category:English male comedians Category:People from Blackpool Category:People from Fleetwood Category:British television personalities