Sean Lock, 'one of Britain's finest comedians,' dies of cancer at 58
Celebrity Deaths

British comedian Sean Lock dies of cancer at 58: 'A lovely man'

Amy Haneline
USA TODAY

Comedian Sean Lock, best known for starring in British comedy panel show "8 Out of 10 Cats," has died. He was 58.

Lock died at home from cancer, surrounded by his family, his agency Off the Kerb Productions announced in a statement Wednesday.

"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 added, noting that he was a "cherished husband" and father of three children.

Lock's other writing and acting credits include "15 Storeys High," "Ideal," and "QI." 

Sean Lock attends the British Comedy Awards at Fountain Studios on December 16, 2014 in London.

Other famous faces have been sharing tributes their fellow comedian, including Ricky Gervais.

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

"Such sad news. RIP the great Sean Lock. One of the funniest, most influential comedians of a generation. A lovely man," Gervais shared on Twitter

"The Office" star also shared a story of his first meeting with Lock, when he told Lock he wanted to be a comedian one day and must have been overexcited and "trying to make him laugh." 

More:Kathy Griffin reveals lung cancer diagnosis, drug addiction and 'obsessive' suicidal thoughts

Passages 2021:Chucky Thompson, Jane Withers, DMX, Dusty Hill, more stars we lost this year

"He said, 'can I give you some advice then' I said 'yeah.' He said 'Tone it down,' " Gervais shared with a laughing emoji.

Jimmy Carr, host of "8 Out of 10 Cats," also remembered his friend on social media.

"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," he wrote.

"Sean Lock was a brilliant writer, a phenomenal stand-up, a comedy genius," the "8 Out of 10 Cats" Twitter account wrote. "Our thoughts are with his family after this devastating news. We will miss him greatly. There was no-one like him."

Featured Weekly Ad