Theatre publicist Neil Reading has died aged 56

WhatsOnStage is saddened to learn about the passing of theatre publicist and one of our regular collaborators, Neil Reading, who has died at the age of 56 following a short illness.

Since establishing Neil Reading PR in 1992, his company has had a regular presence in the West End and beyond, and he has also acted as a personal publicist for stars of stage and screen, including the likes of Dawn French, Lenny Henry, John Bishop, Jason Manford, John Cleese, and Victoria Wood.

Tributes have poured in from the industry over the last few hours, with French describing Reading as “a kind, decent, intelligent man, a proper gentleman in the old-fashioned way, quietly magnificent”, and Bishop referring to him as “a true gentleman” and “too humble to realise how much he meant to people”.

Manford characterises him as “a confidant and one of the most loyal, noble and brilliant men I have ever known”, while Cleese describes him as “a very kind, protective, sensible and caring man, who looked after his clients with great skill”.

Reading is survived by his daughter Rosa and his wife Claire.