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The industry was shocked and saddened to learn of the sudden and tragic loss of Barney Richard this week.

A well-known and popular figure in the UK advertising production community, Barney was founder, executive producer and self-described “nuisance” at production company ALL OF US HERE, which he started with producer Isabella Parish at the beginning of 2023.

Over Barney’s 17 years in the business he left an indelible mark on the ad industry and the people in it, working at London production companies Jelly, FRIEND, Riff Raff, Rogue and Friends Electric in sales and leadership roles.

�������� reached out to some close friends of Barney who wanted to pay tribute to him.

Isabella Parish, founder and producer of ALL OF US HERE, said, “Messages of love and support have been pouring in. Everyone loved him. Everyone has memories of so much laughter and craziness. He was so ready to laugh and so kind. His brain was totally unique and he would take you on all sorts of weird and wonderful journeys in his imagination. And he always said what he felt. But Barney was also a businessman, he understood our industry and he loved it. He loved the work.

“He made me laugh every day. From when I first met him 15 years ago and even now when I look back at his messages, he’s still making me laugh, and cry, but also laugh.

“We knew we wanted to start a company together, it was something that was destined to happen and I wouldn’t have missed that for the world.”

Chris Page, founder at Jelly, said, “Twenty years ago, this kid walks into my office off the street, he’s wearing a cheap shiny double breasted blue suit, a t-shirt and a pair of pink Converse. The first thing I asked him was ‘what do you know about advertising?’, ‘Absolutely nothing’ he replied.

 

“But within 20 minutes he had me laughing like a drain and he had charmed me so much that I offered him a job on the spot. He was the most naturally effervescent and warm individual I had met, and you could tell immediately that his emotional intelligence was off the scale.

“For the next five years or so, he worked at Jelly and helped us to grow and shape our character; he was fizzing with energy and had such an amazing vibrancy that we all fed off it. Incredibly intuitive with creative people, he charmed production work out of most of the offices that he walked into, even though he was winging it a lot of the time to begin with. But he learnt fast.

 

“He was always destined for great things, he was such a whirlwind of relentless energy, even when he left Jelly, we stayed mates. He was like my little brother, and we spoke often, in between the constant messaging, where he would send me little films that he made, obscene voice notes, weird drawings that he’d made and music that he loved.

 

“He had a constant hunger and thirst for knowledge and would always ask me for advice, even though he completely ignored most of it – probably wisely.

“And now, just like that, he’s gone. And I’m totally bereft.

 

“But we will always remember him.

 

“Details of a memorial in the new year will follow so that we can raise a glass and celebrate his life together. Our thoughts and love go out to Kerry and all his family.”

Lee Pavey, partner and producer at Electric Theatre Collective, said, “Barney was truly one of a kind. His enthusiasm, talent, creativity and ability to make any project he was involved in better was incredible to see, but what really made him so special was the person he was. He was supportive to those who needed it, was loyal, honest and kind to everyone he met. To call him a friend, which so many did, was truly one of the greatest gifts you could be given. Every day will be a little less fun without his smile, laughter and ‘Barneyness’ around. 

“I will treasure all the projects we worked on, laughs we had, silly stuff we did, photoshopped pictures of animals with my face on he sent me, the gif of Dracula he messaged (every day for a year) and most importantly a person who I called a true friend.”

Jay Phillips, creative director at BBH, said, “When I was asked to write about my friend Barney, all I could think about is the weird and wonderful character that would make you laugh when you were sad, inspire you when you were lost, but ultimately be there when you need them. 

“He loves making new and exciting work. He loves craft and I refuse to talk about my friend in the past tense because he will always be part of me. 

“As long as I have a story to tell about this eccentric and brilliant man, he’ll never be gone. He will always be there. Smiling and making an ill timed joke about badgers in leotards.”