Hundreds attend comic Manning’s final farewell

THE funeral of controversial comic Bernard Manning was attended by more than 500 mourners yesterday.

The comedy legend died last Monday from kidney failure at the age of 76.

The railings outside the ‘World Famous’ venue in his hometown of Manchester were lined with floral tributes leading to Blackley Crematorium.

One read: “To the irreplaceable Bernard Manning. A generous, genuine man.”

Manning, whose act polarised views, was hugely popular with an army of fans but shunned by the TV and showbiz establishment for his jokes about race, gays and women.

The funny man always denied he was a racist.

Fellow comedians Frank Carson, Tommy Cannon and Bobby Ball, Jim Bowen, Stan Boardman, Roy Walker and Roy “Chubby” Brown were among the congregation.

The jokes came thick and fast from fellow comedian Frank Carson who delivered a eulogy and TV producer Johnnie Hamp, who created The Comedians, which launched Manning to fame.

Wise-cracking Carson told the congregation that Manning was clearly no racist. He joked: “How can he be a racist? There were four black horses pulling his coffin.” He added: “And Bernard would have had a bet on the first two.”