Andrew Lloyd Webber 'shattered' by son Nicholas' death at 43 from gastric cancer
Andrew Lloyd Webber announced over the weekend that his eldest son Nicholas Lloyd Webber had died from gastric cancer. He was 43.
"I am shattered to have to announce that my beloved elder son Nick died a few hours ago in Basingstoke Hospital," the famed British composer shared in a statement posted to Twitter on Saturday, March 25.
"His whole family is gathered together and we are all totally bereft," the statement continued.
Andrew Lloyd Webber shared Nicholas Lloyd Webber with ex-wife Sarah Hugill. Following in his dad's footsteps, Nicholas Lloyd Webber also became a composer and producer. He has composed for such projects as the BBC One drama series "Love, Lies and Records," the ABC medical drama "Grey's Anatomy," the film "The Last Bus" and the short film "Mr. Invisible." He scored a Grammy nomination in 2022 for best musical theater album for "Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cinderella," which he co-produced with his dad.
The devastating news came just days after Andrew Lloyd Webber, 75, shared that his son had "been moved into a hospice."
"He's battling away. I think he's over the worst of this first bout of pneumonia he's got as a result of his cancer, which is just ghastly," he explained on Thursday, March 23. "But we're all here, and the family here has gathered around. It was the right place for us all to be."
The EGOT winner expressed his gratitude to his followers for the "huge outpouring of messages of support" for his son.
In the post, he also said he is sending "his very best wishes to the other families I have around the world in theatre" especially to the cast of his latest Broadway musical, "Bad Cinderella," which opened at the Imperial Theatre in New York City on March 23.
"Particularly, of course, the cast of ‘Bad Cinderella,' because it's the opening night tonight, and I'm absolutely gutted not to be able to be there, but my place is really here in England at the moment," Andrew Lloyd Webber said in the video. "Thank you for all of your messages [from] everybody in the cast and good luck particularly to young Linedy [Genao] who will be playing Cinderella and has just been absolutely magnificent."
Andrew Lloyd Webber revealed that his son Nicholas Lloyd Webber was "critically ill" with gastric cancer last week. He confirmed the news to "Good Morning America" in a statement on Monday, March 20, saying he is "absolutely devastated" by the situation.
"As my friends and family know, he has been fighting gastric cancer for the last 18 months and Nick is now hospitalised," he said.
The Tony winner said that he and his family "are all praying that Nick will turn the corner."
"He is bravely fighting with his indomitable humour, but at the moment my place is with him and the family," Andrew Lloyd Webber added.
After learning the devastating news, the cast of the Broadway musical "Bad Cinderella" offered their support on the show's official Twitter account writing, "The cast and company of Bad Cinderella send their love, thoughts and prayers to Andrew and the Lloyd Webber family."
Andrew Lloyd Webber also shares daughter Imogen Lloyd Webber with ex-wife Sarah Hugill. He is also father to three other children -- Alastair Adam Lloyd Webber, William Richard Lloyd Webber and Isabella Aurora Lloyd Webber -- with wife Madeleine Gurdon.
Famous for his work as a composer for "Evita," "Cats," and "Phantom of the Opera," Andrew Lloyd Webber achieved EGOT status in 2018, after winning an Emmy for "Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert." He also received a knighthood from the late Queen Elizabeth in 1992 in honor of his contributions to the world of theater.
This story was originally published on March 30, 2023. It has been updated to include Andrew Lloyd Webber's announcement of his son Nicholas Lloyd Webber's death.
