Sean Lock: Comedian and 8 Out Of 10 Cats panellist dies aged 58
Comedian Sean Lock, best known for panel shows 8 Out Of 10 Cats and 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown, has died aged 58, his agent told the PA news agency.
Lock, also known for the sitcom 15 Storeys High, died from cancer.
A statement from his agent Off The Kerb Productions said: “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.”
The statement added: “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.
“Sean was also a cherished husband and father to three children.
“Sean will be sorely missed by all that knew him.”
The world of comedy has paid tribute to Lock, including his friend comedian Lee Mack, who said: “I’ve known this day was coming for some time, but it’s no less heartbreaking.
Sean Lock performing at the annual Teenage Cancer Trust’s benefit week in 2006 at the Royal Albert Hall
“A true original both in comedy and life. I will miss him so much.”
John Bishop described Lock as a “great person” and Bill Bailey said he was a “wonderful” comic.
“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,” Bailey tweeted.
The TV star, who was known for his surreal content and deadpan style, has been a team captain on Jimmy Carr’s comedy panel show 8 Out of 10 Cats and the spin-off 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown since 2005.
In 2010, Lock appeared alongside Katherine Jenkins on the Graham Norton Show
He was one of the team captains for the first 18 years, alongside host Jimmy Carr, Jason Manford and Jon Richardson.
Lock exited the show in 2015 and was replaced by Rob Beckett.
He was born in Woking, Surrey and began working on building sites in the early 1980s but developed skin cancer which he blamed on over-exposure to the sun.
He made a full recovery and focused on a career in comedy.
Lock was known for his appearances on popular panel shows, including 8 Out Of 10 Cats
His early professional TV appearance was in 1993, starring alongside Rob Newman and David Baddiel on Newman And Baddiel In Pieces.
In 1998, he script-edited Is It Bill Bailey? on BBC Two and had his own show called 15 Minutes of Misery on BBC Radio 4, which later expanded into 15 Storeys High.
The show was set in a tower block and centred on a pessimistic character called Vince (played by Lock) and his flatmate Errol, played by Benedict Wong.
Lock also appeared on panel shows including Have I Got News for You, QI, and They Think It’s All Over.
Lock performing during Amnesty International’s Secret Policeman’s Ball in 2008 at the Royal Albert Hall
In 2000 he won best live stand-up at the British Comedy Awards.
In 2006, Lock presented and produced TV Heaven, Telly Hell on Channel 4, where guests discussed their likes and dislikes about TV.
At the time, Lock spoke to the PA news agency and he said: “I think one of my all-time favourite shows is Catchphrase with Roy Walker. I loved it.
“I used to like Roy’s restraint, because, for a comedian, the opportunity to take the mick out of some of the ridiculous answers could have been too hard to resist.”
Guest appearances included Alan Davies, Johnny Vaughan, David Mitchell, Bailey, Johnny Vegas and Nick Hancock.
Fellow comedians, Richard Osman, Eddie Izzard and Davies paid tribute to Lock on Twitter.
Osman described Lock as a “unique and brilliant comic voice”, Izzard said he “brought a wonderful comedic talent to the world” and Davies, who met Lock at the start of their careers in 1988, said he was “funny on stage, hilarious off”.
He was married to Anoushka Nara Giltsoff and had three children with the comedian.
Entertainment
Snoop Dogg becomes co-owner and investor of Swansea football club saying it’s ‘an underdog just like me’
Police are taking no further action over Kneecap’s performance at Glastonbury.
Officers said they had investigated “comments about a forthcoming court case made during Kneecap’s performance” at the festival on 28 June.
However, after Crown Prosecution Service advice, they decided there is not enough evidence “to provide a realistic prospect of conviction for any offence”.
The Avon & Somerset force started investigating the Irish group’s show last month, as well as comments by punk-rap duo Bob Vylan.
It said they were looking at a possible public order incident.
Police said on Friday that the investigation into Bob Vylan’s performance was ongoing.
The London duo were widely criticised – and caused a BBC crisis – after leading on-stage chants of “death to the IDF” (Israel Defence Forces).
Kneecap’s Liam Og O Hannaidh appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in June. Pic: PA
Kneecap posted a photograph on Instagram, which the group said was an email from police announcing the case was being dropped.
They said their packed Glastonbury gig was a “celebration of love and solidarity” and reporting used “wildly misleading headlines”.
Fears over what Kneecap might do or say during the performance had prompted the BBC not to show it live.
The group said: “Every single person who saw our set knew no law was broken, not even close… yet the police saw fit to publicly announce they were opening an investigation.”
“There is no public apology, they don’t send this to media or post it on police accounts,” they added.
The police statement on Friday said they had informed Kneecap of their decision to drop the case.
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One of the group’s members appeared in court in June charged with a terror offence.
Liam Og O hAnnaidh is accused of displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah, a proscribed organisation in the UK, at a gig last year.
He was released on unconditional bail ahead of a second court appearance in August.
Entertainment
Tomorrowland: ‘Devastating’ blaze destroys main stage at major festival – two days before it was due to begin
A huge fire has destroyed the main stage of a major festival in Belgium – two days before it was due to begin.
Tomorrowland is a dance music event as big as Glastonbury – and David Guetta was due to perform.
Footage showed flames and thick plumes of black smoke engulfing the stage and spreading to nearby woodland on Wednesday.
The fire gutted the main stage
Fire crews attempt to bring the blaze under control
The annual festival in the town of Boom, north of Brussels, is one of the biggest in Europe and attracts about 400,000 people over two consecutive weekends.
It is famous for its immersive and elaborate designs and attracts big names within dance music – including Guetta, best known for tracks When Love Takes Over and Titanium.
Dutch DJs Martin Garrix and Charlotte de Witte were also due to perform, along with the likes of Swedish House Mafia, Eric Prydz and Alok.
Black smoke could be seen rising into the sky
The festival’s website described the creative elements which went into the elaborate main stage.
The theme, described as Orbyz, was “set in a magical universe made entirely out of ice” and “full of mythical creatures”.
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Organisers said no one was injured in the blaze but confirmed “our beloved main stage has been severely damaged”, adding they were “devastated”.
Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen added: “We received some truly terrible news today. A fire broke out on the Tomorrowland site … and our main stage was essentially destroyed there, which is truly awful.
“That’s a stage that took years to build, with so much love and passion. So I think a lot of people are devastated.”
Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen told reporters ‘a lot of people are devastated’
Despite the fire, Tomorrowland organisers said they were still expecting 38,000 festivalgoers at DreamVille, the event’s campsite.
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