Sean Lock, the comedian and long-standing panellist member on Channel 4’s 8 Out of 10 Cats, has died from cancer at age 58.
Lock was known for his work on various panel shows, including QI, The Last Leg, Have I Got News for You, and The Big Fat Quiz of the Year. His most notable work was as a panel captain for 8 Out of 10 Cats, staying on for 18 shows before exiting in 2016.
His agent, Off The Kerb Productions, announced his passing in a statement, saying: “It is with great sadness that we have to announce the death of Sean Lock. He died at home from cancer, 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,” the statement continuesd.
Various comedians also paid tribute to Lock. Comedian Lee Mack wrote: “I’ve known this day was coming for some time, but it’s no less heartbreaking.”
Fellow 8 Out of 10 Cats panellist Jon Richardson tweeted: “I idolised Sean as a comic long before I became a comedian myself and 10 years working alongside him didn’t diminish that in the least.”
Lock began his career in TV in 1993 with various appearances on the series Newman and Baddiel. Since then, he went on to dominate British comedy panel shows and comedic television.
He later wrote and starred in the BBC sitcom 15 Storeys High as Vince, a cynical recluse living in a tower block alongside his flatmate Errol, played by Benedict Wong.
Words by Amelia Hansford
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