“George was a dear friend, a uniquely gifted character and a true friend,” says Van. “He will be sadly missed.”
Van was among the guests last year when the 80-year-old Liverpudlian released what proved to be his swansong album, The Ultimate Melly.
George Melly died in his London home last week. He has been suffering ill health as a result of lung cancer and vascular dementia, a condition similar to Alzheimer's.