# RIP British Comedian Sean Lock **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** celebrity-death\ **Created:** [August 18, 2021, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-british-comedian-sean-lock/949093 "2021-08-18T13:38:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2021, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-british-comedian-sean-lock/949093/1 "2021-08-18T13:38:02Z")
If you watch any British panel shows, you know and love Sean Lock. I had no idea he was battling cancer (I guess he kept it private), he died at 58. > **[Sean Lock: Comedian and 8 Out of 10 Cats captain dies aged 58](https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-58254859)** > > The comedy panel show favourite was best known as a team captain on the series 8 Out of 10 Cats. And now, one of his funniest _8 out of 10 Cats_ moments [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/0UGuPvrsG3E/maxresdefault.jpg ""Carrot in a Box" Jimmy Carr IN TEARS After Game with Sean Lock & Jon Richardson! | 8 Out of 10 Cats") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UGuPvrsG3E) ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2021, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-british-comedian-sean-lock/949093/2 "2021-08-18T14:21:12Z")
Holy crap! I had no idea! I’ve seen him on YouTube clips of _8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown_, gigging the hell out of Jimmy Carr. A genuinely funny man. This is very sad. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2021, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-british-comedian-sean-lock/949093/3 "2021-08-18T14:21:26Z")
I’m American but have seen _many_ episodes of 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown on YouTube, and remember in particular his offhand comment to Rachel Riley [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Q9IRpFGgPY&t=184s). ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2021, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-british-comedian-sean-lock/949093/4 "2021-08-18T14:28:40Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > I had no idea he was battling cancer (I guess he kept it private), he died at 58. If you’ve seen his most recent appearances on Cats Does Countdown, he’d gotten very thin and drawn and did not look well. I’m not surprised that he had cancer but damn, his death is a major loss for comedy. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2021, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-british-comedian-sean-lock/949093/5 "2021-08-18T14:47:36Z")
Ddamn. RIP Mr. Lock; you were funny as fuck. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2021, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-british-comedian-sean-lock/949093/6 "2021-08-18T15:06:17Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I’m American but have seen _many_ episodes of 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown on YouTube, and remember in particular his offhand comment to Rachel Riley [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Q9IRpFGgPY&t=184s). I didn’t have to play the clip to know the quip you meant. I don’t think Sean got a chance to shine as much as Jon Richardson, but only because Jon is Jimmy’s favorite target. But he was a very funny man. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2021, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-british-comedian-sean-lock/949093/7 "2021-08-18T15:23:57Z")
Damn. I thought he’d recovered. He was great. So quick. > [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#): > > I didn’t have to play the clip to know the quip you meant. Same here. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2021, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-british-comedian-sean-lock/949093/8 "2021-08-18T15:58:25Z")
“You can’t _write_ tears, Jimmy.” [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvRzEJqdZnA) ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_McQwark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@Steve\_McQwark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_McQwark)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2021, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-british-comedian-sean-lock/949093/9 "2021-08-18T16:20:16Z")
Damn, I had no idea about the cancer, this is sad news. Also, I hate it when someone my age dies. My favorite Sean Lock moment was the 8 out of 10 cats episode right after Jimmy Carr’s tax issues came to light. Sean Lock was like a kid at Christmas waiting for Jimmy to ask what the nation was talking about that week. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2021, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-british-comedian-sean-lock/949093/10 "2021-08-18T16:21:45Z")
Lock’s literary efforts are at the beginning and end of this clip. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/LpsJ1Yf8Jc4/maxresdefault.jpg ""The Tiger Who Came for a Pint" & Other Books & Readings Pt. 2 | 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpsJ1Yf8Jc4) ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2021, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-british-comedian-sean-lock/949093/11 "2021-08-18T16:23:51Z")
> [@Steve\_McQwark](#): > > My favorite Sean Lock moment was the 8 out of 10 cats episode right after Jimmy Carr’s tax issues came to light. Sean Lock was like a kid at Christmas waiting for Jimmy to ask what the nation was talking about that week. I remember that. “Well, Jimmy…” ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2021, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-british-comedian-sean-lock/949093/12 "2021-08-18T16:26:27Z")
> [@Steve\_McQwark](#): > > Damn, I had no idea about the cancer, this is sad news. Also, I hate it when someone my age dies. My favorite Sean Lock moment was the 8 out of 10 cats episode right after Jimmy Carr’s tax issues came to light. Sean Lock was like a kid at Christmas waiting for Jimmy to ask what the nation was talking about that week. Omg yes! Sean and Jimmy really were SO funny! Sean had such a unique style. He was never not funny. “Acerbic wit” maybe? He was definitely always “on”. I am sure he was an absolute gut buster off camera too. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2021, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-british-comedian-sean-lock/949093/13 "2021-08-18T16:56:34Z")
I’d read speculation about him being sick, due to his voice changing. But I had been under the impression he got better. I now suspect that it was cancer, that he went into remission, but then it came back. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2021, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-british-comedian-sean-lock/949093/14 "2021-08-18T17:01:41Z")
Yes, two or three years ago (or more, it’s hard for me to tell since I only watch them on Youtube) he was off the shows for some period of time, and when he came back his voice was raspy; also his hair seemed a little thinner. He seemed to recover from it pretty well, though, and never lost a step comedically. To honor his request about what should appear in his obituary, here it is: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh h h h You can’t write tears, Jimmy. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2021, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-british-comedian-sean-lock/949093/15 "2021-08-18T17:16:18Z")
That episode is an all-time great panel show moment. You realize it was the last episode of that series and Jimmy probably could have worked out not attending, but he forced himself to go there and say, “So, what has Britain been talking about this week?” And he just took it for an hour and I loved EVERY second of it, Sean leading the way. Jimmy still gets shit for taxes all the time and I never fail to laugh. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2021, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-british-comedian-sean-lock/949093/16 "2021-08-18T17:20:48Z")
Goddammit, this sucks. ---
**Author:** ![Acierocolotl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acierocolotl/32/6241_2.png) [@Acierocolotl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acierocolotl)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2021, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-british-comedian-sean-lock/949093/17 "2021-08-18T17:24:59Z")
I have to find the clip where Sean Lock discusses bludgeoning a budgie with a teaspoon. It’s not the funniest thing he’s done, but it gets quoted around my household as an example of gritty determination. Eff cancer. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2021, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-british-comedian-sean-lock/949093/18 "2021-08-18T17:30:05Z")
From QI: > **Stephen** > Aww. So, if everyone has their map and their compasses and a clean pair of mosquito net pants, let’s plunge straight into the unfamiliar country that is Question 1. One of the biggest problems faced by explorers, as you can probably imagine, is that of language. Alan and Bill. I would like you to . . . > > **Alan** > [_raises his hand as though to say, “Yes, over here!”_] > > **Stephen** > . . . to imagine that you are two of the pilgrim fathers who arrived on the Mayflower on the coast of the United States, or America. > > … > > **Sean Lock** > [_starts speaking gibberish to Rich, gesturing at Bill_] . . . _Never Mind the Buzzcocks_ ! > > **Bill** > [_throws up his hands_] Bloody hell. > > **Sean** > [_speaks more gibberish, gesturing to Alan_] . . . _Jonathan Creek_ ! > > **Alan** > [_throws down his notebook and folds his arms_] > > **Sean** > [_speaks more gibberish, taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes_] . . . “Can’t believe my eyes!” > > **Bill** > [_exaggeratedly slow_] Not just _Never Mind the Buzzcocks_ ! Other things as well! Do stand up. [_pretends to blah-blah into a microphone_] “Hahaha!” Piano! Playing in _hotels_ . > > **Rich** > [_disdainfully_] “You think you’re the first explorers here, don’t ya?” [_pointing at Sean_] Where do you think these eyeglasses came from? > > **Stephen** > The extraordinary thing is, between them, Rich and Bill are absolutely right. The first thing said by one of the native Americans who met the Plymouth Bretheren was “Could I have some beer?” In English. He asked for beer in English. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/HtVcFa5QZuo/maxresdefault.jpg "QI | How Did The Pilgrim Fathers Communicate With The Natives?") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtVcFa5QZuo) ☹ RIP Sean. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2021, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-british-comedian-sean-lock/949093/19 "2021-08-18T17:38:08Z")
> [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#): > > I remember that. “Well, Jimmy…” Not the full episode, but the juiciest bits at the beginning. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/fZT6-odnXEk/hqdefault.jpg "Jimmy Carr On Tax Evasion 8 out of 10 cats") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZT6-odnXEk) ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2021, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-british-comedian-sean-lock/949093/20 "2021-08-18T18:52:23Z")
Wow, this news came as a big shock to me. I’ve been a big fan of British panel shows (mostly from YouTube) for the past few years, and yet I had no idea that Sean was battling cancer. It’s somehow comforting that other Dopers were also fans and are feeling the same way. So, long, Sean, and thanks for all the laughs. Also, of course, Noooooooooooooooooooooo! Whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-british-comedian-sean-lock/949093.md?page=2)