Barry Humphries: Dame Edna Everage comedian dies at 89

Virgin Radio

22 Apr 2023, 12:46

The much loved performer passed following complications from hip surgery.

Australian performer Barry Humphries, widely recognised for his iconic character Dame Edna Everage, has passed away at the age of 89. The entertainer was hospitalised in Sydney due to complications from a hip surgery he underwent in March following a fall in February.

Humphries' most well-known character, Dame Edna Everage, gained popularity in the UK during the 1970s and eventually earned her own television chat show, The Dame Edna Everage Experience, in the late 1980s. He also portrayed other characters such as the lascivious drunk Sir Les Patterson.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese honored Humphries, saying, "A great wit, satirist, writer and an absolute one-of-a-kind, he was both gifted and a gift."

In a statement, his family described him as being "completely himself until the very end, never losing his brilliant mind, his unique wit and generosity of spirit."

Born in Melbourne, Humphries relocated to London in 1959 and appeared in West End productions like Maggie May and Oliver! Influenced by the dada art movement, he became a prominent figure in British comedy alongside peers such as Alan Bennett, Dudley Moore, and Spike Milligan.

Journalist and broadcaster Andrew Neil, who visited Humphries in the hospital two weeks prior, remarked, "His spirits and wit were as acute as ever." Welsh actor and comedian Rob Brydon called Humphries a "true great who inspired me immeasurably" and felt "delighted to call him my friend."

Dame Edna Everage first emerged in the 1950s as a parody of suburban housewives, based on Humphries' own mother. The character later became notorious for her lilac-rinsed hair, flashy glasses, and catchphrase "Hello possums!"

Apart from his on-stage characters, Humphries also lent his voice to Bruce the shark in the 2003 Pixar film Finding Nemo and appeared in movies such as Bedazzled (1967), Spice World, The Hobbit, and Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie.

He was married four times and is survived by his wife Lizzie Spender and their four children.

Goodbye possums.