Australian comedian Cal Wilson has died aged 53 after a battle with cancer.
Wilson was surrounded by friends on Wednesday when she passed away SydneyRoyal Prince Alfred Hospital.
The comedian was in Sydney filming The Great Australian Bake Off when she was admitted to hospital after being treated for lower back pain.
Doctors are believed to have diagnosed the New Zealand-born star with an aggressive form of cancer. She was in the hospital for two weeks before her death.
Entertainment reporter Peter Ford revealed the comedian collapsed on set of The Great Australian Bake Off a few weeks ago.
Australian comedian Cal Wilson has died after a battle with cancer, it has been learnt
He seemed to suggest that her illness had something to do with her lungs.
Her management team at Token Artists said in a statement on Wednesday that she had been battling a ‘short illness’.
Just five days before her death, Wilson appeared in promotional images for the Melbourne Fringe Festival, The 50 Year Show.
She is survived by her husband Chris and son Digby.
Wilson was born in New Zealand and moved to Melbourne in 2003, where she met her future husband in a bar in the trendy suburb of Northcote.
“At the time I was getting over a bad relationship and we met at a mutual friend’s gig. I thought, “It could make a great flywheel.” Twenty years later we’re still together with our 14-year-old son,” she told The Sydney Morning Herald in July.
The couple married in 2008 and welcomed their son the following year.
Doctors are believed to have diagnosed the New Zealand-born star with a rare and aggressive form of cancer, writes The Daily Telegraph.
Woods works in the education sector and seems to be an extremely private person as he is rarely seen at events with his wife.
“Chris is kind and a man of his word,” Wilson explained earlier this year.
“When he couldn’t stay at a gig one night, he told me he had to go because he wanted to see one of his students run cross country. I thought, ‘Wow, here’s a man who chose to be a teacher not for the money, but because he genuinely loves it,’” she added.
Wilson has had some problems on her road to love and admits she had ‘terrible taste in men’ in her 20s.
“I was attracted to bad boys and I finally realized they were whores,” she said.
She met her first boyfriend at the age of 15. He was 19 at the time and her parents did not allow them to spend time alone.
Peter Ford also revealed on John Stanley’s 2GB radio show on Wednesday night that the comedian collapsed on the set of The Great Australian Bake Off just a few weeks ago
He visited me at the family home, but my parents didn’t let me leave the front gate, so I could only talk to him from the yard, she said.
‘It was very clean and innocent and it didn’t last long.’
Melbourne photographer Alan Moyle took to Instagram to share a favorite photo of Chris and Cal getting married in 2003 and wrote some heartbreaking words.
“We’ve had so many memories, both for work and fun, from the first shoot in 2003 to her and Chris’s brilliantly colorful wedding,” he wrote.
‘I will miss her and be terrified for Chris, Digby, the cats and the whole family.’
The Christchurch native has performed at the Melbourne Comedy Festival 14 times and most recently co-hosted Foxtel’s The Great Australian Bake Off, as well as appearing in her own Netflix stand-up special.
The comedian was in Sydney filming Bake Off when she was admitted to hospital after being treated for lower back pain
In the hours after her death was announced, Darren Purchase – who is a judge on the baking show – paid a heartfelt tribute on Instagram.
“Cal was easy going and such a joyful good person, witty and the kindest,” he wrote.
“This is so unfair and I will never forget my precious time with Cal.”
He also spoke candidly about the last time he saw Wilson.
“I’m sorry this happened to such a good person and I can’t get it out of my head when I last saw her when she was very sick,” he wrote.
“I wish I could hug her and tell her how much she means to me and to so many people.”
Tags for the comedian flooded social media Wednesday afternoon.
Austrian actress Rebel Wilson said: ‘This is so tragic and my heart goes out to Cal’s family.’
“I’ve been very fortunate to work with Cal on a number of projects, especially over the last few years where she’s written some great material for me. She was incredibly talented and incredibly kind.’
Adam Miller, who was a finalist on The Great Australian Bake Off this year, also shared the tribute and recalled the moment Wilson comforted him on set.
“I can’t stop thinking about the moment when Cal saw me alone in the corner of the Bake Off shed, noticed I was quite taken with it all, and offered me the warmest, most comforting hug,” he wrote.
“At this point I burst into tears and she just stood there with me and shared wise and hilarious words to get me through the moment.”
She is survived by her husband Chris (pictured on their wedding day) and her son Digby
Wilson has also worked as a radio and television host, actress and writer. She starred in the TV shows Spicks and Specks, Would I Lie To You and Good News Week.
Radio host Miff Warhurst, who appeared frequently with Wilson on the ABC show, wrote: “Oh Cal, what utterly devastating news. What a joy it has been to be in her glorious orbit over the years. My love to all who love her k’
Show host Adam Hills shared his recognition.
“The news of Cal’s death broke me a little, but the outpouring of love for her was so touching,” he wrote.
“She was one of the best people alive and she made everyone happy.” All of. Offstage and beyond. That’s how life is lived. May her spirit live on. I love you Calbo.’
Comedian and TV presenter Julia Zemiro said: “Most generous. The most excellent. A huge hole in the art community and in my heart.’
The 53-year-old has performed at the Melbourne Comedy Festival 14 times, most recently co-hosting The Great Australian Bake Off
Cal Wilson’s cause of death: New details after collapse on TV set
