Jason Wood obituary | Comedy

Obituary

Jason Wood obituary

Comedian with a knack for impersonation

Jason Wood, who has died suddenly in his sleep aged 38, was a comedian, singer and entertainer who delighted audiences all over the world during his varied career. Known for his remarkable voice and uncannily accurate impersonations of singers from Alison Moyet and Morrissey to Sarah Brightman and Luciano Pavarotti, Jason also carved out a niche for himself with a modern take on the old-school flamboyant variety star, with his huge smile, bright suits and larger-than-life personality.

Jason was born in Luton, Bedfordshire, and wanted to be a performer for as long as his family can remember. Aged 12, he joined the church choir at St Mary's, Luton, where he was a dean's chorister, and was soon in demand as a soloist. His father, Brian, recalls that brides used to ask for Jason to sing at their weddings and would pay him a fee of £5. "One Christmas service he sang a solo of In the Bleak Midwinter and it just made the hairs stand up on the back of your neck."

After leaving Icknield high school, Jason completed a hairdressing course at Barnfield College, in Luton, and began singing in local pubs and clubs. He then moved into variety, appearing in shows in London at the Hackney Empire and Shepherd's Bush Empire at the age of 18. He went on to tour his drag act, Cher Travesty, around working men's clubs before becoming a regular on the gay club circuit.

By the time he met the comedy agent Hannah Chambers, in 2000, at an audition for drag queens, Jason had already decided he wanted to move into performing as himself. Chambers signed him up and helped him move into more mainstream comedy, where he went on to headline at UK comedy and cabaret clubs and to perform as far afield as South Africa, Shanghai, Singapore and Las Vegas, as well as all over Europe.

His first appearance at the Edinburgh Fringe came in 2001 as half of the sketch show Wild On TV, where he was acclaimed for his vocal talents. The following year he returned with his first solo show, Bare Camp. He wrote and performed a new musical comedy show at the Fringe every year thereafter except 2007, when he branched out into theatre, starring in a new play, Unnatural Acts, by Nick Awde and Chris Bartlett. The Scotsman wrote of it: "A beautiful performance by Jason Wood. He's vulnerable, funny, sad. He gives the piece a heart."

The same paper was less flattering about his 2006 solo show, My Anus Horribilis (openly gay, Jason favoured show titles that capitalised on his glorious campness), giving it a one-star review. Jason proudly stuck notices on his show posters proclaiming: "A star – the Scotsman." His warm and inclusive style of camp usually won over even the rowdiest of hecklers. His television break came in 2004 with the first series of Strictly Come Dancing, where he partnered the dancer Kylie Jones and was described as changing "from a caterpillar to a butterfly in one week" – although he was the first person ever voted off the show.

Jason hosted a regular variety night at the Hospital Club in London, as well as developing a number of TV projects. His close friend Paula Goldstein, who played his onstage assistant Eunice, performed with him to a sellout crowd at Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, the week before his death. Those who worked with him spoke of his enormous generosity as a performer and as a man, and of his infectious humour.

Jason is survived by his parents and his sister Ann.

Jason Robert Wood, comedian and singer, born 21 January 1972; died 20 February 2010

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