UK Stand-up Comedian Ian Cognito Dies Onstage During Live Show

Cognito, whose real name was Paul Barbieri, never achieved wide fame but was highly revered among fellow comedians.

British standup comedian Ian Cognito died on stage during a gig on Thursday, 12 April.

(Photo Courtesy: Facebook/TheIanCognito/Altered by The Quint)

British standup comedian Ian Cognito died on stage during a gig on Thursday, 12 April.

Medics were called to a club in Bicester, in southern England, on Thursday night, and "sadly one patient passed away at the scene," South Central Ambulance Service said.

Police said the death was not suspicious.

Show organizer Andrew Bird told the BBC that when the 60-year-old Cognito sat down and fell silent during his session, “everyone in the crowd, me included, thought he was joking.”

Entertainer Jimmy Carr praised Cognito's kindness towards him when he was starting out in the business and tweeted, "He died with his boots on."

"Little Britain" star Matt Lucas tweeted: "He was always kind to me when I started out, and brilliant and provocative and entirely original onstage. What a loss."

Cognito, whose real name was Paul Barbieri, never achieved wide fame but was highly respected among fellow comedians.