…Researched and contributed by Lola Smith.
Australian comedian and actor Barry Humphries, who is known for his portrayals of characters such as Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson, is in a serious condition in a Sydney hospital.
The 89-year-old recently had hip replacement surgery but experienced complications and was readmitted to St Vincent’s Hospital.
Entertainment reporter Peter Ford said that while Humphries was in a serious condition, he was being kept comfortable and surrounded by family.
Ford added that Humphries had something marked on his calendar to get back on stage before the end of the year.
Last month, Humphries admitted to being “in agony” after breaking his hip while reaching for a book.
Andrew Neil, journalist and chairman of GB News, tweeted last week that he had visited Humphries in the hospital during his recent trip to Australia, where he found the comedian’s humor “irrepressible, even in adversity”.
Humphries has been undergoing various treatments for months in the hospital, and while his health has worsened in the last week, Ford believes that the entertainer won’t give up easily.
Humphries has been travelling around the UK last year doing a one-man show about the great characters he created over the years, and Ford believes that getting back on stage before the end of the year is a realistic goal for him.