Australian entertainer Barry Humphries, finest identified for his comedian character Dame Edna Everage, has died aged 89.

The star had been in hospital in Sydney after struggling problems following hip surgical procedure in March. He had a fall in February.

Humphries’ most well-known creation grew to become successful within the UK within the Nineteen Seventies and landed her personal TV chat present, the Dame Edna Everage Experience, within the late Eighties.

His different personas included the lecherous drunk Sir Les Patterson.

In a press release, his household remembered him as “completely himself until the very end, never losing his brilliant mind, his unique wit and generosity of spirit”.

They mentioned Humphries’ followers had been “precious to him”, and mentioned his characters, “which brought laughter to millions, will live on”.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese paid tribute shortly after the information of Humphries’ loss of life broke.

“A great wit, satirist, writer and an absolute one-of-kind, he was both gifted and a gift,” Mr Albanese mentioned.

Melbourne-born Humphries moved to London in 1959, showing in West End reveals akin to Maggie May and Oliver!

Inspired by the absurdist, avant-garde artwork motion Dada, he grew to become a number one determine of the British comedy scene alongside contemporaries like Alan Bennett, Dudley Moore and Spike Milligan.

Broadcaster Dame Joan Bakewell, a good friend of Humphries, advised the BBC he had an “extremely brilliant mind”.

“A world in which I don’t have the friendship of Barry Humphries is really painful. Because he was so resilient and energetic and loving and direct… that’s a great absence in my life now,” she mentioned.

Comedian Rory Bremner described Humphries as “lightning quick, subversive, mischievous… & savagely funny” in a tweet.

He mentioned together with his passing “we lose an all-time great”.

Actor and comic Rob Brydon additionally described Humphries as a “true great who inspired me immeasurably” and mentioned it was a “delight to call him my friend”.

Australian actor Jason Donovan tweeted a photograph of himself with Dame Edna and mentioned Humphries was “quite simply an entertaining genius”.

In 1955, Humphries launched Mrs Norman Everage, the housewife from Moonee Ponds, a suburb in Melbourne, in a college manufacturing.

It was the primary iteration of the irrepressible character that will outline his profession.

Humphries mentioned his creation was imagined to final solely per week.

Instead, it blossomed into Dame Edna, his gaudy, sharp-tongued comedian alter ego who would depart audiences in stitches in Australia and past for many years. He mentioned the character was primarily based on his personal mom.

She grew to become extra outrageous because the years went on, and was famed for her lilac-rinsed hair, flamboyant glasses and catchphrase: “Hello possums!”

Humphries even wrote an autobiography, My Gorgeous Life, because the character.

His different common characters on stage and display included the extra grandfatherly Sandy Stone.

He mentioned of Stone in 2016 that he might “finally feel myself turning into him”.

Humphries additionally introduced six collection for BBC Radio 2, the newest being a 3 half collection celebrating 100 years of the BBC.

The commissioning govt for Radio 2, Laura Busson, mentioned his collection “Barry Humphries Forgotten Musical Masterpieces” was massively common with audiences, and can be revealed on BBC Sounds as we speak as a tribute to the comic.

The comedian actor, writer, director and scriptwriter, who was additionally a eager panorama painter, introduced a farewell tour for his satirical one-man stage present in 2012. But he returned final 12 months with a collection of reveals trying again at his profession.

His different credit included voicing the shark Bruce in 2003 Pixar animated movie Finding Nemo, in addition to appearances in 1967 comedy Bedazzled, Spice World, The Hobbit and Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie.

Humphries was made an Officer of the Order of Australia, one of many nation’s highest civic honours, in 1982.

Later in his profession, he was criticised for referring to gender affirmation surgical procedure as “self-mutilation” and described transgender identification as a “fashion”.

But his followers in Australia are mourning the lack of a comedy legend.

He was married 4 occasions, and leaves behind his spouse of Lizzie Spender and 4 kids.

What are your recollections of Barry? Did you ever meet him? Share your recollections by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

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