Comedian Charles Clews passed away this morning, a few months short of his 90th birthday.

Born in Senglea, Mr Clews, entertained Maltese audiences in Malta, Gozo and Australia.

He was a protagonist of stand-up comedy in Malta and formed part of The Stage Commandos, a group with a repertoire of sketches, plays and muscials.

He worked closely with a number of other well known personalities, especially with the late Johnny Catania.

One of his greatest successes was the comical soap opera “Karmena Abdilla”.

In 1996 he was awarded the Midalja għall-Qadi tar-Repubblika.

Mr Clews was married to Anne and they had eight children.

The Labour Party and Nationalist Party expressed their condolences to the family.