Tributes for Sean Lock have poured in on what would’ve been his 60th birthday.
The much-loved comedian from lung , his family confirmed.
A statement released by Off The Kerb Productions at the time read: ‘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. 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 is respected at this difficult time.’
Lock’s appearances on various TV panel shows, such as 8 out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, Have I Got News for You, and QI, provided fans with plenty of belly laughs over the years, as did his stand-up performances.
In 2000, he won the accolade for best live comic at the British Comedy Awards.
He was also close friends with a wealth of other comics, including , , Jimmy Carr, and Jon Richardson, and became known for his dry banter, one-liners, and pessimistic rants.
Honouring Lock on his would-be birthday, Channel 4 put together a video compilation of his best moments.
The broadcaster tweeted: ‘Sean Lock would have turned 60 today, but we’re not going to be maudlin about it.
‘Instead we present this compilation of grumpy old man rants and anecdotes that demonstrate that Sean was, in many ways, always a 60-year-old man.
‘Happy birthday to you, sir.’
Fans were also keen to honour their favourite funny man, saying they ‘miss him every day’ and are re-watching his comical moments in memory.
‘Comic genius – god rest his soul’, tweeted one person.
‘What an amazingly funny and sweet man he was’, another wrote.
‘Forever an absolute legend, the top of his game’, another praised.
‘Remembering the sensational comedy legend Sean Lock, on what should have been his 60th birthday. Hugely, hugely missed,’ tweeted the British Comedy Society.
And Lock’s comedy is still being recognised after his death, with 8 Out of 10 Cats taking at the National Comedy Awards in February.
Following their victory, Richardson, a longtime friend and co-star of Lock’s, expressed his gratitude on Twitter to the fans who voted for them.
‘Massive thanks to everyone who voted for Cats Does Countdown at the Comedy Awards,’ the 40-year-old wrote.
‘That one is for Sean, without whom the show would have had a fraction of the comedy it had and much more maths.’
Lock became a regular team captain on the Channel 4 show in 2005.
