comedian dies aged 51 – Trending Stuff

Hughes, Perrier award winner and team captain on BBCs Never Mind the Buzzcocks, died on Monday morning

Sean Hughes, the Irish standup comedian and quiz show panellist, has died, his former agent said.

Hughes, 51, who won the prestigious Perrier comedy award in 1990 and was perhaps best known as a team captain on BBCs Never Mind the Buzzcocks, died on Monday morning, RBM Comedy said.

Hughes had been unwell and tweeted on 8 October that he was in hospital. It has been reported that he was being treated for cirrhosis of the liver.

Nica Burns, the director and producer of the Edinburgh comedy awards, formerly the Perrier awards, said: Sean was the youngest winner of the Edinburgh comedy award. He was a huge talent a great comic and writer. He will be missed.

Fellow comedians paid tribute to Hughes. Al Murray said: Sean Hughes won the Perrier the summer I decided to try being a comic. He was being daft, meta, ironic and Byronic all at once after a decade when standup had reinvented itself. He made standup look fun, glamorous and above all a creative place where you could play. Its terribly sad news to hear of his passing.

Bill Bailey said: Im shocked and saddened to hear the news. I gigged with Sean quite a bit over the years, and we bonded over a shared love of dogs. He was a very funny comedian and great company. He had a unique and distinctive style and will be greatly missed.

Jenny Eclair said: I last saw Sean on a Storage Hunter special there was a huge amount of laughter. He was a cross between a curmudgeon with a poets soul and a glorious boy who was destined never to grow old. We will miss that voice.

Aisling Bea said: I first met Sean before I started standup. We were doing read throughs of new BBC comedy scripts for the industry and wed have to take it in turns to do characters or the stage directions, which was the most boring part.

During Seans turn to do stage directions, he began doing them in dramatic voices and with whispers and accents. Even though it wasnt the most professional thing to do, we were all cracking up and it became the best part of the show. His mischievous pixie quality and love of silliness will be sorely missed.

Posting on Facebook, Carl Donnelly said: For those that knew him this might come as a bit of a shock but Sean Hughes sadly passed away last night. Hes been ill for a while but has mostly kept it quiet. He had been in hospital on and off these last few weeks but passed away at home last night.

Hes been a good mate and someone who has helped me develop as a comedian for ten years so all that needs to said right now is that Ill miss him.

Other comedians paid tribute to Hughes on Twitter. Jack Dee said: Very sad to hear about Sean Hughes. Started on the circuit with him back in the day. RIP.

Jason Manford said: Very sad to hear about Sean Hughes. A brilliant comic and a lovely bloke. RIP.

Richard Herring tweeted: Sean Hughes. What a punch in the soul that is.

Jo Caulfield said: Horrible news. Another talent gone far too soon. RIP Sean Hughes.

Terry Alderton said: Cant believe the news … Sean Hughes will be sadly missed by myself and the rest of the comedy world. Thoughts are with you. Xxx.

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/us