A BBC executive who co-wrote The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy scripts died when he collapsed of a freak heart condition and fell under the wheels of a lorry.

Geoffrey Perkins, the former head of BBC comedy, was behind some of TV's greatest comic hits including Spitting Image, Drop the Dead Donkey, The Fast Show, The Catherine Tate Show, Father Ted and Have I Got News for You. He is also credited with inventing the Mornington Crescent quiz for Radio 4's I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue.

An inquest was told that Mr Perkins, 55, who was married with children, was on his way to work in August last year when witnesses saw him turn pale and slump into the road in Marylebone high street. He rolled between the front and back wheels of a lorry and was hit by the rear wheels, but Westminster coroner's court heard that he was already dead or dying. A pathologist said the most probable reason was that his "normal" heart suddenly stopped.

The condition, known as channelopathies, can strike down even young people.

Verdict: natural causes.

• 

  Lenny Henry: 'Maybe one day we can have a black Doctor Who'

  As he wins the outstanding newcomer prize at the Evening Standard theatre awards for his role as Othello, Lenny Henry has come a long way from black and white minstrels

  ---

• 

  Spread of the Jedhead

  Jedward, voted off the X-Factor this weekend, are the most obvious proponents of the sticky-uppy look - but the style crosses boundaries of age, gender, sexuality and taste, says Nick Curtis

  ---

Sky in plot to hire students on the cheap

Sky News is currently recruiting students as reporters for its coverage of next year's general election. However, the opportunity doesn't quite seem so appealing

All stories