Tributes have been paid to publicist Neil Reading, who has died aged 56 after a short illness.

Reading was a publicist for a number of high profile comedians including John Cleese, Lenny Henry, Victoria Wood, Dawn French, Jason Manford. John Bishop and Sue Perkins as well as members of the Fast Show.

Dawn French led the tributes, writing: "Neil Reading was a one-off, such a kind, decent, intelligent man, a proper gentleman in the old-fashioned way, quietly magnificent...He has been my ally and fierce protector through so much and for so long. I don’t quite know how I’ll manage without him. Sleep tight darlin’ heart."

John Cleese posted: "a very kind, protective, sensible and caring man, who looked after his clients with great skill’ and concluded he shall ‘miss him very much."

Jason Manford called him "a trusted friend of almost 20 years, a confidant and one of the most loyal, noble, brilliant men I have ever known."

John Bishop added: "Neil was a true gentleman. He was too humble to realise how much he meant to people and I know he will be greatly missed."

I worked with Neil numerous times over the years and found him to be both excellent company and completely unflappable. On one occasion after a trip to Amsterdam in 2008 (I remember it because it was the night Obama was elected) we were all a little worse for wear and running late to get to the airport the next morning. This was before online check-in via app and while everybody started to panic as the cab was stuck in traffic he merely called his London office who somehow checked us all in so that we could rush straight to the departure gate just before it closed. We we all arrived panting and relieved, except for Neil, didn't seem remotely out of breath.