Private funeral for Bob Monkhouse

Monkhouse once said: "I'll never stop working. I want to die in the saddle."

The funeral of the comedian Bob Monkhouse has been held at Amersham Crematorium in Buckinghamshire.

David Ismay, a friend of Monkhouse, said the family would not be releasing any details about Friday's service.

The star died on 29 December aged 75, at his home in Eggington, near Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, after fighting bone and prostate cancer for more than two years.

He spent 50 years in television, hosting TV game shows such as Family Fortunes and appearing in 12 films.

After his death, tributes were paid by many figures in the world of entertainment.

BBC director general Greg Dyke said: "Bob was a major entertainment figure for nearly half a century with both the BBC and ITV."

Bob was a comedy genius Norman Wisdom

Monkhouse, who was born in Beckenham, south London, and educated at Dulwich College, began his career writing and selling cartoons to comic weeklies.

He made several guest appearances on television shows before he and his comedy partner Denis Goodwin launched their own television series, Fast and Loose, in 1953.

Monkhouse later became a game show host, fronting programmes including Family Fortunes, Bob's Full House and Bob Says Opportunity Knocks.

He married his first wife Elizabeth in 1949 when he was 20, which caused a rift with his parents.

They had three children before they divorced in 1972 and he leaves one daughter, Abigail.

His two sons both died in tragic circumstances, Gary from cerebral palsy and Simon from a heroin overdose.

In 1972, Monkhouse married Jacqueline, his secretary, who was at his bedside when he died.