Legendary Australian broadcaster, critic and author Clive James has sadly passed away at his home in Cambridge, England, aged 80.
WATCH: Clive James recommends ‘imminent death to any writer’
His passing comes almost a decade after he was diagnosed with the aggressive cancer, chronic lymphocytic leukemia
A statement from the star’s agent via Twitter read: “Clive died almost 10 years after his first terminal diagnosis and one month after he laid down his pen for the last time.
“He endured his ever-multiplying illnesses with patience and good humour knowing until the last moment that he had experienced more than his fair share of this ‘great, good world’.”
James’s career was long and illustrious. Born as Vivian James in Kogarah, in Sydney’s south, in 1939 worked for a year with the Sydney Morning Herald after graduating university
Nicknames “Kid from Kogarah,” James worked for a variety of publications both in Australia and the UK – where he located to in 1962.
He worked as a critic for various publications both in Australia and the UK, as well as publishing many books of poetry. He also hosted his own television show on the ITV network called Clive James on Television until his defection to the BBC in 1989 (where he launched a similar series called Saturday Night Clive).
The Unreliable Memoirs writer was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 1992, which was upgraded to Officer level (AO) in the 2013 Australia Day Honours. He was also awarded the Orwell Prize for Writing and Broadcasting in 2008 and was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2012.
Despite his cancer diagnosis, Clive continued to be a powerhouse, with eight books published since his 2010 diagnosis, as well as a weekly column for The Guardian called “Reports of My Death” until mid-2017. The column covered “life, death and everything in between.”
Clive’s daughter, Claerwen, referred to him as “a showman and a recluse at the same time,” according to 9 News.
A host of other stars took to social media to mourn his passing.
Nine entertainment editor Richard Wilkins said James had a “fierce intellect.”
“He was one of those guys… you know when you play tennis with someone who is better than you are, you lift your game and play better?” the reporter said. “Having a conversation with Clive was like that.”
“He just loved to go in areas that you had never discussed before, you had never talked about things but he really explored the boundaries of conversation.
“He had a story about everything and everybody. He was great.”
Stephen Fry wrote: “Clive James and Jonathan Miller – two heroes of mine growing up. Each so wildly and profusely gifted in so many directions. Very sorry to think they’re not in this world any more. And I just heard that Gary Rhodes has been snatched from us too. How very sad.”
Meanwhile, British journalist Piers Morgan wrote: “RIP Clive James, 80.
A brilliantly funny man.”
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