(14:35 on Mon 18/Jul/05)Gorden Kaye is still alive. Although he had a serious road accident in 1987 resulting in a temporary loss of memory, he has now fully recovered. Carmen Silvera, who played his wife Edith in Allo Allo, died of cancer in 2002 - perhaps that's who the loser of the bet was thinking of.
(01:26 on Tue 19/Jul/05)I'm fairly sure that his accident was in January 1990 (the daytime storm) rather than 1987 (the night time one) but otherwise ditto.
Gorden's accident was indeed in the 1990 storm. I know this to be true becasue I was in India at the time and learnt of the storm only upon my return.
As I recall, Gorden was driving at the time and the wreckage of an advertising hoarding was blown onto his car. A large wooden stake penetrated the windscreen and struck Gorden in the head.
Thankfully, as littleoldme says, Gorden is now fully recovered