A North East radio presenter has recalled an hilarious telephone interview with the late Barry Humphries, adopting the persona of his famous alter ego, Dame Edna Everage.

Simon Logan, of BBC Radio Newcastle, Tees and Cumbria’s Solid Gold Sundays and Simon’s Fantastic 80s, was speaking in tribute following the death of the famous Australian comedian, mimic, writer and satirist, Barry Humphries.

He said he had the pleasure of taking a call, supposedly from Dame Edna, prior to her farewell tour performance, at Newcastle’s Theatre Royal, in 2014.

Taking to his Facebook page, Mr Logan said: ‘R.I.P The brilliant Barry Humphries.

Read more: Dame Edna Everage star Barry Humphries dies, aged 89

“I was lucky enough to receive a call from Dame Edna just before a sell-out Newcastle show a few years back.

“I don't think she liked her manager.”

Dame Edna spoke about her manager, who she said was Barry, himself, and what listeners could expect to hear at the show.

She told the presenter she was “estranged” from her manager due to legal problems.

Dame Edna claimed to be unhappy at her manager’s choice of Sir Les Patterson, supposedly Australia’s cultural attache to the UK, another of Humphries’ comic characters, to open the show.

She said she wanted to warn the “refined audience” in Newcastle about the potential “vulgarity” of Sir Les.

At the time of Dame Edna’s arrival for the show, she said: “For many years my friends have told me not to miss the North East, one of Britain’s major hotspots.

“Well the chance has at last arrived, but I’ll have to say ‘hello’ and ‘goodbye’ at the same time!

“You will see me at the height of my powers, and I’m already very excited at the prospect of meeting my North East possums and wallowing in the beauty of your region.”

On a previous visit to the city, Dame Edna was said to have even gone shopping for underwear at a well-known lingerie shop in the city centre.

News of the death of Barry Humphries, at the age of 89, was announced on Saturday evening, Australian time.

Read more: In Pictures: The many faces of Barry Humphries

A spokesperson for St Vincent’s hospital in Sydney, where he was being treated with complications following hip surgery in March, after a fall in February, confirmed the Australian entertainer died at the hospital, at 11am BST.

It prompted a host of tributes, including from Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese, who described him as, “the brightest star.”

“For 89 years, Barry Humphries entertained us through a galaxy of personas, from Dame Edna to Sandy Stone,” Mr Albanese tweeted.

“But the brightest star in that galaxy was always Barry.

“A great wit, satirist, writer and an absolute one-of-kind, he was both gifted and a gift. May he rest in peace.”

Broadcaster Andrew Neil said he visited Barry Humphries in hospital two weeks ago when, “his spirits and wit were as acute as ever.”

He tweeted: “So sad to learn Barry Humphries has passed away.

“When I visited him in his Sydney hospital two weeks ago he was ailing from several health problems.

“But his spirits and wit were as acute as ever.

“We laughed away as the stories poured out.

“Funny, hugely literate, fiercely smart.

Read next:

* Entertainer Barry Humphries lived a life as colourful as his many characters

* Who were Barry Humphries’ alter egos?

* Dame Edna star Barry Humphries remembered as ‘comic genius’ after death aged 89

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“I count myself lucky and privileged I got to see him one more time.

“A comic genius the likes of which we will never see again.”

The Humphries family was today (Sunday April 23) said to be planning funeral arrangements, with details said to yet to be finalised.