Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber has confirmed that his eldest son Nicholas has died aged 43, following a battle with gastric cancer.
The 75-year-old Oscar-winning composer shared the news on Twitter on Saturday, writing: ‘I am shattered to have to announce that my beloved elder son Nick died a few hours ago in Basingstoke Hospital.
‘His whole family is gathered together and we are all totally bereft. – ALW’
It comes after Lord Lloyd-Webber recently revealed that Nicholas, who was also a composer, had been moved to a hospice where he was ‘battling’ gastric cancer.
The star shared a heartbreaking update on his son’s condition earlier this week, saying he had been moved to a hospice due to a bout of pneumonia.
Sad: Lord Lloyd-Webber revealed Nicholas (left), whom he shared with ex-wife Sarah Hugill, has died after suffering from the disease for the last 18-months
Tragically, Lord Lloyd-Webber explained in a video that Nick was ‘over the worst of it’ regarding this first bout and shared his hopes for his son’s recovery.
There has been an outpouring of support for the composer since he revealed that his son had passed away on Twitter earlier this evening.
Stars from the world of musical theatre, politicians, celebrities and close family friends paid tribute to Nicholas as the sad news emerged.
Nicholas followed in his father’s footsteps and was a successful composer in his own right, having written Fat Friends The Musical.
He was married to musician Polly Wiltshire, who appeared on the soundtrack of his father’s 2019 movie Cats.
During his career, Nicholas also scored music for an adaption of The Little Prince as well as composing numerous TV and film scores.
He was nominated for a Grammy for musical theatre album alongside his father, Greg Wells and David Zippel for Lord Lloyd-Webber’s Cinderella.
The news follows a video posted to Lord Lloyd-Webber’s Instagram account on Thursday, in which the composer said his son was ‘over the worst of this first bout of pneumonia’ which he caught as a result of his ‘ghastly’ cancer.
Nicholas followed in his father’s footsteps and was a successful composer in his own right, having written Fat Friends The Musical
Lord Lloyd-Webber – who wrote the music for hit shows such as Cats, The Phantom Of The Opera and Jesus Christ Superstar – said in a video on Instagram: ‘We’re all here and the family here has gathered around and it was the right place for us all to be I think.’
In the video he also thanked the people of Ukraine who sent him a Cats T-shirt following the announcement that his son was ‘critically ill’.
He said: ‘I know that they’ve been performing Cats there in a bunker, a makeshift production.
Lord Lloyd-Webber with his then-wife Sarah Brightman (right) and their daughter Imogen and son Nicholas in 1990
‘It’s incredibly moving… everything they’re going through they have been so incredibly thoughtful about dearest Nick.
‘I’m going to go and see Nick in a minute, and I’m going to pass on all of the fantastic wishes that I’ve had for him all the way from everywhere all around the world.’
Lord Lloyd-Webber also sent his best wishes ‘to the other families I have around the world in theatre’ on the opening night of his new show Bad Cinderella in New York.
Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber with daughter Imogen Lloyd Webber (left) and Nicholas and his then-wife Charlotte Windmill (right) in 2010
Lord Lloyd-Webber revealed his son’s illness recently, saying: ‘I am absolutely devastated to say that my eldest son Nick is critically ill’ (Nick pictured in 2010 with ex-wife Charlotte Windmill)
He said: ‘I’m absolutely gutted not to be able to be there but my place is really here in England at the moment.’
The Broadway show is a retooled version of London West End’s Cinderella, which takes its name from a key song in the show and has new songs, leading lady and title.
Lord Lloyd-Webber’s first wife, Sarah Hugill, is the mother of Nicholas. They also share a daughter, Imogen, who is 44.
The acclaimed composer is also father to Isabella, 26, Alastair, 30, and William, 29.
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