The award-winning comedian, writer and broadcaster, Linda Smith, died of cancer on 27 February, 2006, aged 48.

Ms Smith was a true satirist, famous for her ability to find humour and absurdity in the most inane of subjects.

Her deadpan diatribes captured the hearts of theatre, radio and television audiences.

She will be best remembered for her hilarious contributions to Radio 4 panel shows such as ‘I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue’.

Linda Smith was born in London on January 29, 1958. She studied English and Drama at the University of Sheffield and joined Sheffield Popular Theatre Company after graduating in 1983. It was here she met her life-long partner Warren Lakin.

She felt her future lay in stand-up comedy. In 1987 she won the Hackney Empire New Act of the Year award. She was a veteran performer at Edinburgh throughout the next few years.

In the mid-1990s, she made a successful transition from stage to radio. Ms Smith quickly became a favourite with listeners who voted her ‘Wittiest Person’ in 2002.

She was a regular panellist on Radio 4’s ‘ Just A Minute’ and ‘I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue’ and made frequent appearances on many other radio shows.

She wrote and performed her own critically acclaimed radio sitcom ‘Linda Smith’s A Brief History of Time Wasting’. Her wit also charmed television audiences, with popular appearances on shows ‘Have I Got News For You’, ‘Room 101’ and ‘Mock the Week’.

Ms Smith’s popularity went from strength to strength. In 2004, a 35-date national tour of her show, ‘Wrap Up Warm’, played to sell-out audiences.

She became President of the British Humanist Society in 2004. Her humanist beliefs were very important to her and she approached the role with great commitment and energy.

Ms Smith was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2002. She died on February 27, 2006, at home aged 48.Her untimely death shocked the worlds of comedy and radio. She was not public about her illness and continued working hard until her death.

An anthology of her work was released after her death called "I Think The Nurses Are Stealing My Clothes”. This has introduced her unique sense of humour to even more generations of listeners.

Her friend and fellow comedian Jeremy Hardy called her "the wittiest and brightest person working on TV or radio".

But perhaps the greatest accolade came from Radio 4 controller Mark Damazer who stated: "Linda was a Radio 4 giant. She generated an energy and warmth in every programme she ever did that made millions love her."