The comedy world lost a true legend last week, one that made a unique mark on the industry.

Stand-up comedian Stevie Faye – "who appeared in more than a dozen episodes of 1970s stand-up showcase The Comedians" according to Chortle, and who starred in BBC's Boys from the Blackstuff in the 1980s – has died at 95.

Faye was known for a lifelong devotion to "clean" comedy, priding himself on never having told a "dirty" joke in his time in the business.

The English comic was well known in many circles, and reportedly "rubbed shoulders" with the biggest names in the industry throughout his career.

Clean comic

Faye was proud of his material and the fact that he never had to resort to dirty jokes to elicit a hearty laugh from the crowd.

"I have gone down well in places like Glasgow and prisons; it just shows you don't have to use that sort of material," Faye once said during an interview.

STEVIE FAYE
1927 - 2023
English Comedian pic.twitter.com/T70S8YMNzu

— Hermine (@PetloverHermine) September 21, 2023

He added, I will take a lot of memories with me and want to thank the audiences and all my friends in the business for their support."

The Echo noted:

Before his days in the spotlight, Stevie was an amateur boxer and had all kinds of jobs, from club kitchen porter to candle worker stints in Llandudno. But he became a household name thanks to one show in particular and previously thanked producer of The Comedians Johnny Hamp for his start in showbusiness and giving other local comedians their television debuts.

"I owe a lot of my material to the boxing clubs when I trained at the Golden Gloves, the RAF war years, my pals and my dear ma, Sally, and my beautiful wife Mary. The people I met were an inspiration and still are," Faye once said in an interview.

Social media tributes

Given his popularity in British comic circles, many paid tribute to the late actor, who left an indelible mark on the industry.

"I’ve learned today of the passing of Stevie Faye, the legendary Liverpool comedian. He was the subject of one of my most favourite shoots ever, you can read about it in the Daytona catalogue here. Sending love and best wishes to all who knew him," one X user wrote.

I’ve learned today of the passing of Stevie Faye, the legendary Liverpool comedian.

He was the subject of one of my most favourite shoots ever, you can read about it in the Daytona catalogue here.

Sending love and best wishes to all who knew him. pic.twitter.com/uT5YBkAlZS

— andy hollingworth (@andyholl) September 20, 2023

The Echo noted:

He will be greatly missed by his son Stephen, daughter Susan and his in-laws Carole and Ernie. Stevie also leaves four grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and a great great granddaughter.