Who Is Jimmy Cricket's Wife, May Mulgrew? Inside Their 52-Year Marriage After His Death At 80
Comedian Jimmy Cricket's family has announced that the legend died at age 80. Let's know more about it.
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Add BollywoodShaadis on GooglePopular comedian Jimmy Cricket, best known for his clean and family-friendly humour, had died at the age of 80. His family confirmed the heartbreaking news in a brief social media post. They revealed that the comedian spent his final days surrounded by his loved ones, laughter and music. Meanwhile, tributes have continued to pour in for the entertainer. In fact, some internet users have also expressed their curiosity over the woman who stood by Jimmy for more than five decades.
Who is Jimmy Cricket's wife, May Mulgrew?
Jimmy Cricket was married to May Mulgrew for 52 years. They first met in 1972 at a Pontin's holiday camp in Morecambe and eventually fell in love. At that time, May worked as a waitress while Jimmy was starting his career as a Bluecoat entertainer. In turn, they married after 2 years. Recalling his first meeting with his wife, the comedian once joked:
"When I bumped into May, she was wearing a Halloween mask, it was love at first fright!"
May went on to build a successful career as a professional singer. At the same time, she often performed with her husband during his live shows. May used to perform under the stage name "May Marion."
Later, she returned to complete her education as a mature student, earning a bachelor's degree and another Master's degree in Theology. May had resumed her studies at Liverpool Hope University, where she graduated in 2013. When Jimmy rose to fame, May was a constant source of support on and off the stage.
The couple stayed in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, after their marriage, where they raised their four children together. Jimmy and May's eldest son, Dale, works as an events organiser for Bury Hospice. Meanwhile, their daughter, Katie, followed in her father's footsteps and made a career in stand-up comedy.
The couple's son, Jamie, is a headteacher, and another son, Frankie, initially performed comedy as "Frankie Doodle" but later became a Catholic priest.
Jimmy had often spoken with love about his family. He also credited them for keeping him grounded despite his success. According to his family, the comedian was surrounded by his loved ones in his final days. They also mentioned that he brought joy not only to audiences but also to those closest to him. They describe him as a "force for joy" whose humour remained intact until the end.
Jimmy Cricket died on Monday, August 3, 2026, at the age of 80. According to reports, he died after a short illness. At the same time, the comedian spent his final days around "family, love, laughter and songs". In fact, the statement mentioned that the comedian continued to make jokes with NH's staff and relatives. In their words:
"Forever our clown, he was cracking jokes to the wonderful NHS staff and to us all, right until the end. His courage, dignity and positivity through all he endured was inspirational."
Jimmy's family also mentioned that about his deep Catholic faith and ended their tribute with the famous catchphrase, "There's no more". It meant that death was not the end. Instead, he looked forward to eternity, which prompted the family to conclude their statement with '...And there's more."
Inside his comedy career that entertained generations
Jimmy Cricket was born as James Mulgrew in Cookstown, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, in 1945. He left school at 16 before he started his entertainment career as a Butlin's Redcoat in 1966. He also worked at the comedy club circuit throughout the 1970s. But later, he won LWT's Search for a Star, which made him famous nationwide.
Jimmy began to work on his ITV series And There's More. He also hosted the BBC Radio 2 show Jimmy's Cricket Team. In turn, people began to easily identify him with his battered bowler hat, rolled-up trousers, tailcoat and Wellington boots with "L" and "R"
Apart from TV and Radio, Jimmy also worked in Royal Variety shows. He toured for decades and funded many important causes. Eventually, his contributions to charity and the Catholic community got him a Papal Knighthood from Pope Francis.
Rest in peace, Jimmy Cricket. We send our heartfelt condolences to his family in this difficult time.
Pic credits: Jimmy Cricket/ Instagram, Jimmy Cricket/ Website
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