Australian comedian Barry Humphries has died at age 89.
The popular entertainer and author had suffered medical complications after recent surgery following a broken hip.
"It is with great sadness that we announce that Barry Humphries passed away peacefully in Sydney, Australia today. He was surrounded by his family. He was completely himself until the very end, never losing his brilliant mind, his unique wit and generosity of spirit," a statement from his publicist confirmed just before 11pm NZ time.
"With over seventy years on the stage, he was an entertainer to his core, touring up until the last year of his life and planning more shows that will sadly never be. His audiences were precious to him, and he never took them for granted. Although he may be best remembered for his work in theatre, he was a painter, author, poet, and a collector and lover of Art in all its forms.
"He was also a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, and a friend and confidant to many. His passing leaves a void in so many lives. The characters he created, which brought laughter to millions, will live on. We ask that everyone please respect the family’s privacy during this very difficult time. He is survived by his wife Lizzie, his children Tessa, Emily, Oscar and Rupert, and 10 beloved grandchildren," the statement said.
Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, shared his condolences on Twitter tonight, saying: "For 89 years, Barry Humphries entertained us through a galaxy of personas, from Dame Edna to Sandy Stone. But the brightest star in that galaxy was always Barry.
"A great wit, satirist, writer and an absolute one-of-kind, he was both gifted and a gift.
"May he rest in peace.”
A well-known character
Best known for his work on stage and screen, Humphries was responsible for a series of beloved characters.
Whether it was the dodgy Australian attaché Sir Les Patterson, the Goblin King in Peter Jackson's The Hobbit or Bruce the shark from Disney's Finding Nemo, he always entertained audiences.
However, his most famous character is best known for her winged eyeglasses, a lavender purple wig, and a simple catchphrase.
"Hello possums!"
Dame Edna Everage was Humphrie's most beloved alter ego, a suburban housewife who shot to global fame.
Created in Melbourne, she became an unofficial 'dame' in 1974's 'Barry Mckenzie Holds His Own'. It's fair to say the title stuck.
During an interview with TVNZ in 2012, Humphries (as Dame Edna) said the character actually had her first outing in New Zealand.
"This has never been revealed," he said.
"I did a test show in Auckland at the University"
Humphries wasn't just a star in Australia and New Zealand, hosting his own talk show in the UK from 1987.
"The Dame Edna Experience" saw him become a staple on television screens, and cemented his place in the entertainment landscape.
Perhaps his most memorable outing as Dame Edna was during the 2013 Royal Variety Performance.
Edna briefly sat down in the Royal Box, before leaving to say she'd found "A better seat", which left then Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall in stiches.
In recent years Humphries opened up about his struggles too, revealing he'd battled with alcoholism, and had gone sober.
He said things were so bad, that at age 36 he was admitted to a psychiatric hospital to dry out.
Humprhies has also courted controversy.
Perhaps most notably he was widely condemned for comments in 2016 that gender-affirming surgery for transgender individuals was "self mutilation."
Speaking to Australia's 60 Minutes programme, Humphries said "We're retired to be insane."
"The political correctness is the new Puritanism, it's scary."
Humphries had a fall in February 2023, and had recently had hip surgery at Sydney’s St Vincent’s Hospital.
He reportedly said he'd hoped to be back up on his feet, and performing live shows by the end of the year.
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