Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber has confirmed his eldest son Nicholas has died aged 43 after a battle with stomach cancer.
The 75-year-old Oscar winner shared the news on Twitter on Saturday, writing: “I am devastated to announce that my beloved older son Nick passed away a few hours ago in Basingstoke Hospital.
“His whole family is gathered and we are all completely bereft. -ALW’
It comes after Lord Lloyd-Webber recently revealed that Nicholas, who was also a composer, had been placed in a hospice where he was “battling” stomach cancer.
The star shared a heartbreaking update on his son’s condition earlier this week, saying he’s been admitted to a hospice for pneumonia.
Sad: Lord Lloyd-Webber revealed Nicholas (left), who he shared with ex-wife Sarah Hugill, has died after suffering from the disease for the past 18 months
Tragically, Lord Lloyd-Webber declared in a video that Nick was “over the worst” regarding that first fight and shared his hopes for his son’s recovery.
There has been an outpouring of support for the composer since he took to Twitter tonight to announce the passing of his son.
Stars from the musical theater world, politicians, celebrities and close family friends paid tribute to Nicholas when the sad news broke.
Following in his father’s footsteps, Nicholas was a successful composer himself, having written Fat Friends The Musical.
He was married to musician Polly Wiltshire, who appeared on the soundtrack of his father’s film Cats in 2019.
During his career Nicholas also wrote music for an adaptation of The Little Prince and has composed numerous TV and film scores including BBC1 drama Loves, Lies, and Records.
Nicholas previously spoke about finding his own way in the theater world away from his famous family name in an unearthed 2011 interview.
He said he wanted “to be judged on his own merits,” so he dropped his last name as he worked to see what the reaction would be.
Following in his father’s footsteps, Nicholas was a successful composer himself, having written Fat Friends The Musical
“Nick” was Lord Lloyd-Webber’s eldest son. The couple are pictured together at an event in 1989
In 2011 and 2012 Nicholas saw his musical adaptation of The Little Prince at Lyric Belfast.
At the time, he said he was “very nervous” and aware that some “attention” was coming his way.
“But I’d just like to think that the show would be judged on its own merits,” he said. “That’s all anyone can ask for.”
“For a long time I dropped the Lloyd bit — to see what the reaction would be,” he told the Times in 2011.
“I got some stuff on the radio, so I was like, ‘Okay, I’m obviously not a complete idiot.’
“Then I thought, ‘Wait a minute, if other people are willing to work with me without the last name, then maybe I should just move on.'”
Lord Lloyd-Webber with his then-wife Sarah Brightman (right) and their daughter Imogen and son Nicholas in 1990
What is stomach cancer?
Stomach cancer is cancer found anywhere in the stomach.
It’s not very common in the UK, but symptoms can be difficult to spot.
Between 2017 and 2019 there were around 4,200 deaths from stomach cancer in the UK each year, or 12 a day, according to Cancer Research UK.
Here Web shows the six warning signs to look out for.
As shown, low energy, unwanted weight loss, constant indigestion, difficulty swallowing, nausea, and an upper abdominal lump are warning signs and symptoms of stomach cancer
He was subsequently nominated for a Grammy for a Musical Theater Album alongside his father Greg Wells and David Zippel for Lord Lloyd-Webber’s Cinderella.
Today’s tragic 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 that first pneumonia” he contracted as a result of his “terrible” contracted cancer.
Lord Lloyd-Webber – who has written the music for hit shows like 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 and it was the der right place for all of us I think.’
In the video, he also thanked the people of Ukraine who sent him a Cats T-shirt after it was revealed that his son was “seriously ill”.
He said: “I know they did Cats in a bunker there, a makeshift production.
“It’s incredibly moving…everything they’re going through has been so incredibly thoughtful for dearest Nick.
“I’ll be visiting Nick in a minute and passing on all the fantastic wishes I’ve had for him from all over the world.”
Lord Lloyd-Webber also sent his best wishes “to the other families I have in the theater around the world” on the opening night of his new show Bad Cinderella in New York.
Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber with daughter Imogen Lloyd Webber (left) and son Nicholas and then-wife Charlotte Windmill (right) in 2010
Lord Lloyd-Webber recently revealed his son’s illness, saying: “I am absolutely devastated to say that my eldest son Nick is seriously ill” (Nick pictured in 2010 with his ex-wife Charlotte Windmill)
He said: “I’m absolutely disappointed not to be able to be there but my place at the moment is really here in England.”
The Broadway show is a revamped version of London West End’s Cinderella, taking its name from a key song in the show and featuring 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 years old.
The acclaimed composer is also the father of Isabella, 26, Alastair, 30, and William, 29.