English comedian Sean Lock has died aged 58 following a lengthy battle with cancer. The sad news was confirmed by Lock’s agent yesterday, who said the comedian died surrounded by his family.
“Sean was one of Britain’s finest comedians, his boundless creativity, lightning wit and the absurdist brilliance of his work, marked him out as a unique voice in British comedy,” Lock’s agent added in a statement. “Sean was also a cherished husband and father to three children. Sean will be sorely missed by all that knew him. We kindly request that the privacy of his family and children is respected at this difficult time.”
Lock was best known for his role as a longstanding team captain on Jimmy Carr’s comedy panel show 8 Out of 10 Cats between 2005 and 2015, along with its spin-off, 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown from 2012 until this year. Known for his dry humour and deadpan delivery, Lock also frequently made onstage, onscreen and radio appearances, writing for and working with the likes of Bill Bailey and Lee Evans.
Tributes have poured in for the comedian since news of his death emerged. “Brutal news about Sean Lock today,” 8 Out of 10 Cats host Carr wrote on Twitter. “I loved him. I’m watching clips of him right now – laughing & crying. I’ll miss him so much.”
“It’s heartbreaking to lose my dearest friend Sean Lock, he was a true original, a wonderful comic,” wrote Bailey. “All my thoughts are with his family.”
Ricky Gervais said Lock was “one of the funniest, most influential comedians of a generation” while paying respects to Lock, and Alan Davies wrote that Lock was “funny on stage, hilarious off.”
“I’ve known this day was coming for some time, but it’s no less heart-breaking,” wrote Lock’s close friend, comedian Lee Mack. “A true original both in comedy and life. I will miss him so much.”
See tributes to Lock below.
Brutal news about Sean Lock today.
I loved him. I’m watching clips of him right now – laughing & crying. I’ll miss him so much.— Jimmy Carr (@jimmycarr) August 18, 2021
It’s heartbreaking to lose my dearest friend Sean Lock , he was a true original, a wonderful comic. All my thoughts are with his family.
— Bill Bailey (@BillBailey) August 18, 2021
Such sad news. RIP the great Sean Lock. One of the funniest, most influential comedians of a generation. A lovely man. ?
— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) August 18, 2021
Oh no, what horrible news… I think it safe to say that the best episodes of QI that I was involved with were always the ones where Sean Lock was a guest. Such complete brilliance in every comic direction. What a loss. My heart goes out to his family.
— Stephen Fry (@stephenfry) August 18, 2021
I wish I had the words to describe the exceptional man that was Sean Lock. But today I don’t, and I think he might have liked it that way.
— Susie Dent (@susie_dent) August 18, 2021
Comedy has lost one of the greats today. Sean Lock was so much sillier & anarchic than he would often let on, his comedy could sit between silly & edgy, acerbic politics. He was often a loose canon on panel shows & you never knew what to expect, Jimmy would often be… pic.twitter.com/5LZdZO83x7
— Aisling Bea (@WeeMissBea) August 18, 2021
