Australian comedian Cal Wilson was suffering from a rare and aggressive form of cancer when he died aged 53, Daily Mail Australia understands.
Wilson was surrounded by loved ones on Wednesday when he passed away at Sydney’s Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.
The comedian, who lives in Melbourne, was in Sydney filming The Great Australian Bake Off when she was taken to hospital.
It is understood that Wilson was battling cancer in secret and only revealed the details of her illness to family and close friends.
She was in hospital for two weeks before her death, with entertainment reporter Peter Ford suggesting the cancer was linked to her lungs.
Australian comedian Cal Wilson has died after a battle with cancer
The 53-year-old was seen here filming the Great Australian Bake Off before her death
In the hours after her death was announced, Great Australian Bake Off judge Darren Purchase said the comedian appeared ‘very ill’ the last time he saw her.
“I’m sorry that it happened to such a good person and I can’t get out of my head the last time I saw her when she was very sick,” he wrote.
I wish I could hug him and tell him how much he means to me and so many people.
Just five days ago, Wilson, who is survived by her husband Chris Woods and son Digby, appeared in promotional images for Melbourne Fringe Festival act The 50 Year Show.
In a haunting interview on the Bakeology podcast, just months before she died, her close friend Adam Miller asked Wilson what she would remember Digby for.
The moment suggested her friends were aware of her battle with cancer, even though she had kept it private from the public eye.
“What do you think Digby will remind you of?” Miller asked.
“I think it’ll be for pancakes because that’s a pretty common weekend thing,” Cal replied.
She also joked about the amount of fun the pair had during their baking sessions.
“And when you serve the pancakes, you throw them like frisbees, the first couple, and then if you’re going to have maple syrup on them, obviously you don’t,” she said.
‘We make a lot of gingerbread together. Well, we start making it together, and he goes with the dough like any good kid should,” she joked.
Cal said she hoped her son Digby (pictured together) would remember their weekends together making pancakes during a touching interview in August.
She is survived by her husband Chris (pictured on their wedding day) and her son Digby
Wilson had spoken of her great love for her husband, who works in the education sector.
“Chris is kind and a man of his word,” Wilson explained earlier this year.
“When he couldn’t stay at a concert one night, he told me he had to leave because he wanted to see one of his students run another place. I thought, ‘Wow, here’s a man who chose to be a teacher not for the money, but because he really loves it,'” she added.
Wilson met her in a bar in the Melbourne suburb of Northcote.
“I was going through a bad relationship at the time and we met at a mutual friend’s concert. I thought, “He could be a big jerk.” Twenty years later we’re still together with a 14-year-old son,’ she told The Sydney Morning Herald in July.
Wilson had also worked as a radio and television presenter, actress and author. She starred in the TV shows Spicks and Specks, Would I Lie To You and Good News Week.
Tributes for the comedian poured in on social media on Wednesday afternoon.
Actress Rebel Wilson said: “This is so tragic and my heart goes out to Cal’s family.
“I was very, very fortunate to work with Cal on multiple projects, especially over the last few years where she wrote great material for me. She was extremely talented and extremely kind.’
Cal Wilson also worked as a radio and television presenter, actress and author
Radio presenter Myf Warhurst, who often appeared with Wilson on ABC’s Spicks and Specks, wrote: ‘Oh Cal, what absolutely devastating news. What a joy it was to be in her magnificent orbit over the years. My love to all who love it x’
Show host Adam Hills shared his tribute.
“The news of Cal’s passing has broken me a little, but the love for him has been so moving,” he wrote.
“She was one of the nicest people alive and made everyone happy. All. Off stage and on. This is how you live a life. Long live her soul. I love you Calbo.’
Comedian and TV presenter Julia Zemiro said: ‘More generous. The most excellent. A huge hole in the Arts community and in my heart.’
The much-loved comedian has been remembered as a ‘warm, caring and happy’ person by family, friends and colleagues.
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