For the 1976 Stanley Baxter special – one of the comic’s hour-long shows, a Christmas telly staple that rivalled even the mighty Morecambe and Wise – Baxter hired a boat off the coast of Margate. In the sketch,

The author of the beloved 'Parliamo Glasgow' sketches created off-the-scale events that showcased his impressive range as an actor, impressionist and panto dame.

For decades he was one of the biggest stars on television. And no wonder. A gifted mimic, comedian and actor, Stanley Baxter, who has died at the age of 99, commanded audiences of 20 million with his shows for both ITV and the BBC during the 1970s and 80s.

The Scottish star used his exceptional gift for impersonations to create genre-mashing specials that were as epic as the Hollywood films they parodied. He was a perfectionist performer with huge talen

Stanley Baxter, a towering figure in British television, has passed away at the remarkable age of 99, leaving behind a legacy that defined an era of entertainment. His mastery of comic sketches, mimicry,