Yes Minister, Yes Prime Minister co-writer Sir Antony Jay dies at 86

Co-writer of popular TV comedies Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister, Sir Antony Jay, died Sunday evening after prolonged illness.

Sir Antony Jay, co-writer of popular TV comedies Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister, died at 86 after prolonged illness.

Sir Antony Jay pictured after his investiture as a Knight's Batchelor by the Queen (AP)

The BBC quoted Jay’s representative as saying that he died on Sunday evening and was surrounded by his wife and family during his last moments.

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Sir Antony was a founding member of the Tonight team at BBC. Later, he wrote documentaries Elizabeth R: A Year in the Life of the Queen and Royal Family. He was then appointed Commander of the Royal Victorian Order for personal services to the Royal Family.

Jay’s best-known series, Yes Minister, ran between 1980 and 1984. It traced MP James Hacker, a fictitious minister for administrative affairs, and his battles against an unflappable Whitehall civil servant, Sir Humphrey Appleby.

Yes Prime Minister - another gem penned by Jay, was aired for two seasons (between 1986 and 1988) and was about Hacker’s life after he entered 10 Downing Street.

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