British comedian Rik Mayall of "The Young Ones" dies at 56

Rik Mayall, one of a generation of performers that injected post-punk energy into British comedy, has died at the age of 56.

Mayall's management firm Brunskill Management said the comedian died early Monday.

BBC News reports that he died at his home in London. The Metropolitan Police said the death was not believed to be suspicious.

Mayall was part of the Comic Strip, a group of alternative young '80s comics that included Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders and Mayall's comedy partner, Adrian Edmondson.

He was best known for co-writing and performing as the obnoxious, poetry-writing anarchist Rick in "The Young Ones," a sitcom about slovenly students that was much loved by those it satirized.

He memorably played Conservative politician Alan B'stard in the sitcom "The New Statesman."

Mayall and Edmondson also created and starred in slapstick comedy series "Bottom" and starred in the 1991 film "Drop Dead Fred."

The cause of death was not immediately disclosed. In 1998 Mayall was in a coma for several days after a quad bike accident.