Bernard Manning made his name in the 1970s on Granada TV's The Comedians. But with the dawn of political correctness, his stand-up routine was considered too controversial for the schedules and it was dropped.  | | Bernard Manning in his pants |
Yet, for more than 40 years, he continued to draw huge audiences at his world famous Embassy Club in Harpurhey, where he built up a multi-million pound fortune. His critics claimed that his act was racist and sexist and was deeply offensive to women and people of ethnic minorities. Manning argued that anyone was fair game and denied racist claims, saying: "I tell jokes. You never take a joke seriously." He died in North Manchester General Hospital on Monday 18 June 2007, aged 76. Legend or bigot?What did you think of Bernard Manning and his style of humour? A comedy genius, one of the most "outrageous and successful comedians of our time" who understood the British working class sense of humour and delighted in 'taking the mickey' out of people of all backgrounds? Or an anachronism, whose jokes about black people and women were deeply offensive and had no place in the 21st Century? | 
