Australian entertainer Barry Humphries enjoyed a seven-decade career on stage and screen, delighting generations with satirical characters including Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson.

Humphries became a staple of the British comedy circuit after moving from Australia to London in 1959 and appearing in West End shows such as Maggie May and Oliver!

Originally a drab Melbourne housewife satirising Australian suburbia, Dame Edna evolved into an increasingly boisterous and eccentric character, with “wisteria hue” hair and cat-eye glasses.

Humphries was a mainstay of royal performances and was made a CBE by Queen Elizabeth II in 2007.

In March 2012, Humphries announced his retirement from live entertainment, saying he was “beginning to feel a bit senior”, but promised an extensive farewell tour, which was later extended.