‘Missing you old pal’: Bill Bailey pays tribute to late comedian Sean Lock in touching post

Bill Bailey paid tribute to his late friend Sean Lock on Tuesday.

The comic passed away from cancer in August 2021 and his death prompted widespread grief in the comic book world.

Comedian Bill shared a sweet throwback snap of the couple joking around during a stroll in the country.

The musician and actor wrote on Twitter: “Some days I still can’t quite believe he’s gone. Today is one of those days.”

He added: “Miss you Sean old pal”

Last August, Bill raised over £100,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support in memory of his friend Sean.

He completed a 100-mile walk for the charity alongside Lee Mack and Sean’s loved ones and said he was “moved” by the generosity of the public who supported him during the walk.

The walk started in Bude, Cornwall on August 3rd and ended in Combe Martin, Devon, following the beautiful coastal path.

Bailey said many people have reached out to the group offering money and kind words, and he was overwhelmed by the goodwill and support.

“We’re all a bit exhausted,” he said.

“I’m just blown away by the number of people who have approached me, handed me money on the street, just offering donations.

Known for his surreal content and deadpan style, Sean starred as the team captain on Jimmy Carr’s popular Channel 4 comedy panel show and its spin-off 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown.

Carr led the tributes, saying it was “brutal news” and that he had “laughed and cried” while watching clips of Lock – while Lee Mack called him a “true original in both comedy and life”.

Father of three, Lock, who had two daughters and a son with his wife Anoushka, has appeared on Have I Got News for You, QI and They Think It’s All Over – and also wrote and starred in the popular BBC sitcom 15 Storeys High.

Jon Richardson, Lock’s co-captain on 8 Out Of Ten Cats, praised his “incredible weird brain”; Susie Dent from the Countdown version described him as an “extraordinary man”; Ricky Gervais said he was “one of the funniest and most influential comedians of a generation”; and Alan Davies said Lock was “funny on stage, hilarious off”.

Calling the Woking-born star “one of Britain’s finest comedians”, Lock’s agent said his “boundless creativity, lightning-quick wit and absurd brilliance of his work have made him a unique voice in British comedy”.

It’s unknown what form of cancer Sean was battling, but he previously made a full recovery from skin cancer, which he attributed to excessive exposure to the sun while working on construction sites before becoming a comedian.

He previously credited a one-night stand in the 1990s with saving his life after the woman he was dating discovered a patch of black and misshapen skin on his back, which he had removed at the hospital amid the cancer was diagnosed.

Fellow comedian Harry Hill revealed Lock had spent some time in a hospice, telling the Guardian: “Sean was his best reminder of what we love about a great gag and why we got into comedy in the first place.

“That’s why he’s so often called ‘comedian’s comedian.’ He took his illness in a typically dry manner. I heard he was in a hospice to get some rest. I called him. ‘Wow!’ I said. ‘A hospice, what’s that like?’ “It’s fine,” he said, “…and the sex is fantastic.”