Tragic comic Duncan Norvelle died virtually penniless after camp act fell out of favour and he suffered years of devastating health setbacks

Tragic funnyman Duncan Norvelle died virtually penniless after his camp act fell out of favour with TV bosses - and battling years of ill health. Comedian Duncan Norvelle died at the age of 66 from a chest infection and sepsis - 12 years after suffering a stroke which left half his body paralysed Duncan was familiar face on British TV in the 1980s and was known for his catchphrase 'chase me!' Following his stroke, Duncan Norvelle defiantly said: 'I saw a lot of stroke patients give up and not question what the doctors were saying to them but I was determined to get better and live my life' Norvelle rose to fame on the ITV variety show Saturday Royal in the early 1980s But, like many performers of his generation, his star waned as so-called 'alternative comedians' broke into the mainstream. Fellow comedian and Duncan's friend Tommy Cannon wrote: 'Very sad news to hear the passing of one of my mates, Duncan Norvelle today' Comedian Jim Davidson also paid tribute to the star, as he took to social media to write: 'All of us at Ustreme were saddened to hear about the passing of Duncan Norvelle' Socialite Lizzie Cundy was one of the first to pay tribute to him, writing on Twitter: 'Very sad to hear comedian Duncan Norvelle has passed away' Despite his grim prognosis, during the next 18 months in hospital Norvelle worked with a speech therapist and a physiotherapist to regain his speech and mobility.