Gyles Brandreth’s Admission
Gyles Brandreth has admitted he feels guilty for the death of legendary comedian Rod Hull. In the 1970s and 1980s, Hull became a fixture on UK screens, rarely appearing without Emu, a mute and highly aggressive arm-length puppet modelled on the Australian bird.
The Tragic Accident
In 1999, aged 63, Hull died in a freak accident after falling from the roof of his home while trying to adjust the television aerial. After slipping and falling, he was taken to the hospital with severe skull fracture and chest injuries before being pronounced dead. Following an inquest, the coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death.
Gyles Brandreth’s Regret
Now, 25 years later, This Morning star Gyles has said he feels somewhat responsible for what unfolded. Speaking on the latest episode of his Rosebud podcast, Gyles explained how he encouraged his friend to scale his roof the night he died.
- Gyles recalled the terrible weather on the night of Hull’s death.
- He mentioned how Hull wanted to fix his Sky aerial to watch football.
- Gyles suggested Hull climb on the roof to fix the aerial.
- Unfortunately, Hull fell off the ladder due to strong winds and passed away.
Rod Hull’s Quirky Funeral
Gyles also shared a quirky detail from Rod Hull’s funeral. He mentioned that Rod wanted his famous puppet to be part of his funeral and arranged for a beak sound to be inside the coffin, creating the illusion that the emu was also in the coffin.
Legacy of Rod Hull and Emu
During his career, Hull’s Emu became famous for attacking Michael Parkinson on his talk show. Emu and Hull caused crotch-poking mayhem on TV for decades. Emu was most famous for attacking Michael Parkinson on his chat show, creating memorable moments in television history.