Fans of British comedy have been hit with a stunning loss as comedian Eddie Large passed away after contracting the coronavirus.

The obituary by The Guardian says that Large was already being treated in the hospital for heart failure when he contracted COVID-19. According to The Guardian, the 78-year-old was a staple of British television, starring in the popular Saturday evening sketch show “Little and Large” with his friend and comedy partner, Syd Little. At its peak, “Little and Large” could draw up to 10 million viewers.

Born Edward McGinnis, Eddie Large lived in Glasgow until he was 10 before the family moved to Manchester. He first met Syd Little in 1963. Little was performing and Large heckled him, and the two went out for drinks afterward. The pair came up with the idea for their comedy show and performed as a pair in clubs and eventually winning a 1971 edition of Opportunity Knocks, a television and radio talent show.

They began their BBC show “Little and Large” in 1997, which became a massive hit and allowed them to go on tours and even appear in the 1977 Royal Variety Show.

News of his death has devastated the British comedy community, especially his longtime collaborator Syd Little. Speaking to the BBC, Little said he was “devastated” and that he considered Large more as a friend rather than a partner. He recalled their career together as “happy times.”

Hosting duo Ant and Dec, who had recently worked with Little and Large, also mourned the loss, saying that Large would be missed and that they were proud of all the accomplishments he and Little had achieved during their careers.

Matt Lucas of “Little Britain” fame recalled Large as someone who was “lovely and kind and encouraging” and that his passing left him sad. The comic Sir Lenny Henry said Eddie had “energy and electricity” and could elicit laughter that was “rude, raucous and rollicking.”

Aside from Large, other celebrities that have died after contracting the coronavirus include Adam Schlesinger, cofounder of Fountains of Wayne and an Emmy winner for his work on the sitcom “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.” Andrew Jack, an actor in the “Star Wars” films and a dialect coach who worked on the “Lord of the Rings” films, also died from COVID-19.

Mark Blum, an actor on film, stage, and television, died several days after testing positive for COVID-19. Celebrity chef Floyd Cardoz, who won “Top Chef Masters,” also succumbed to the virus.

The World Health Organization’s Apr. 2 situation report says that there are now 896,450 confirmed cases of COVID-19 around the world. The death tally for the virus is at 45,526.