Comedian Sean Lock – best known for panel shows ‘8 Out Of 10 Cats’ and ‘8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown’ as well as sitcom ’15 Storeys High’ – has died from cancer at the age of 58.
He also appeared on QI, The Last Leg, Have I Got News for You, and The Big Fat Quiz of the Year.
A statement from his agent Off The Kerb Productions said: “It is with great sadness that we have to announce the death of Sean Lock. He died at home from cancer, surrounded by his family.
Sean was first diagnosed with skin cancer in 1990 when he found a mark on his back, attributing the condition to overexposure to the sun while working as a builder in the early 1980s.
#Breaking Comedian Sean Lock, best known for panel shows 8 Out Of 10 Cats and 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown, as well as sitcom 15 Storeys High, has died from cancer at the age of 58, his agent told the PA news agency pic.twitter.com/BB6hIa8atp
After seeing a GP, he was referred to a dermatologist at Guy’s Hospital, London. The piece of skin was removed and, after a biopsy, he found out he had malignant melanoma, more commonly referred to as skin cancer.
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“Sean was one of Britain’s finest comedians, his boundless creativity, lightning wit and the absurdist brilliance of his work, marked him out as a unique voice in British comedy.
“Sean was also a cherished husband and father to three children. Sean will be sorely missed by all that knew him. We kindly request that the privacy of his family and children is respected at this difficult time.”
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Sean often filmed 8 Out Of 10 Cats and 8 Out Of 10 Cars Does Countdown at MediaCity here in Greater Manchester and had a huge comedy following in the region, playing some of our best comedy venues.
He will be sadly missed.
UK News
Salford Red Devils have officially gone bust after more than 152 years
Danny Jones
After more than a century and a half as one of the biggest and most well-supported rugby league teams in the country, Salford Red Devils have unfortunately been liquidated.
It’s a very, very sad day for the Super League and UK rugby at large.
Salford Red Devils had been flirting with insolvency and complete collapse for far too long, and even with the promise of investment following what has now proved to be a fruitless takeover back in February, the local sporting institution has now been folded.
Issuing an update to the fans on Wednesday, 3 December, what remains of the organisation shared an official statement online confirming the news, along with a picture of the crest blacked out.
They wrote the following: “We regret to inform stakeholders, supporters and partners that Salford Red Devils and its operating company, Salford City Reds (2013) Limited, have been subject to a winding-up petition filed by HMRC, and liquidation proceedings have now commenced.
“We understand the gravity of this situation and the uncertainty this creates for everyone connected with the club. For the original club staff who remained up until this point, this is an incredibly emotional moment.
“Whilst there is sadness in seeing things come to this point, there is also a sense of relief that an extremely challenging period for the club has finally come to an end. We want to express our heartfelt thanks to all the fans who have stood by us through everything.
“Your passion and loyalty have meant the world to us. More than anything, we hope that the club’s proud name and history can live on and continue to represent the people of Salford.”
Reacting to the dreaded but not unexpected news on social media, vocal fan group The 1873 – who have been both outspoken, militant and dedicated in their protesting of the ownership group – added: “You tried to destroy something that was not yours to destroy – but today you have been defeated.
“Salford Rugby League will rise again, and the rebirth will be beautiful. The 1873.” While they chose to lean towards optimism where possible and belief in a fresh start, many more are undoubtedly still busy mourning the 152-year-old family as they know it.
Salford Red Devils were liquidated today after 152 years. The original Red Devils. Beyond heartbroken. If the club is reborn I'll throw my heart and soul into it. pic.twitter.com/6IvUNklNWJ
The local outfit where given a reprieve regarding their winding-up petition over unpaid debt, not once but four different times, over the past few months.
Financial worries had been lingering plenty before this, of course, with concerns being raised well over a year ago, with bridging loans and players ultimately having to be borrowed from other teams in the division, before various members of staff eventually were let go and/or walked out.
Having been officially relegated from the premier British rugby league competition in October (which also accompanied their IMG grading being dropped), to some, it felt like only a matter of time before this outcome would eventually arrive.
Nevertheless, some are still holding out hope that phoenix – or devil, rather – can rise from the embers and that Salford Red Devils will return in some form under a new regime. One can only hope.
Salfordians – what do you think needs to change if the club comes back?
Erling Haaland breaks yet another Premier League record after nine-goal thriller
Danny Jones
Erling Haaland has broken his umpteenth record since arriving in the Premier League and donning a Manchester City shirt, becoming the fastest player to reach 100 goals in the competition.
Let’s be honest, are any of us surprised?
While yet another goal from Haaland and entering himself into the 100 club was a notable narrative on the night, the real headline, however, was that scoreline, as City barely escaped by the skin of their teeth.
Despite persisting questions surrounding the Blues’ defence, it was nevertheless a landmark moment for the Norwegian number nine, who remains the most prolific striker on the planet. Here’s how he did it:
Commenting on the achievement on social media, the big blonde bagsman simply wrote, “When football takes you to places you could never have imagined” – signing off with a ‘100’ emoji, of course.
Despite it being reiterated that he doesn’t think too much about the various milestones he continues to surpass with each passing game, he admitted he knew about this particular one and was visibly chuffed with being in such good company.
For context, it took Haaland 111 matches to score his 100th goal in the division, which is 13 appearances quicker than the next fastest Premier League legend, Alan Shearer, who took 124 games to reach the tally when the modern era of the top flight first began three decades ago.
You can see who else has achieved the feat and how fast here:
Even more impressively, this wasn’t the only rather incredible statistic that came from the fixture either, as he walked away with a frankly ridiculous bit of pedigree among the strikers’ union.
As well as his opening goal, which well and truly opened the floodgates (at both ends, as it turned out), Haaland was caught offside in a PL away game for the first time in more than TWO whole years, the last occasion being against Sheffield United in August 2023.
To quote a post we saw on X, “Do you know how crazy a stat this is?…”
If you didn’t manage to catch the game on Tuesday night, we seriously recommend you watch the many highlights from the win over Fulham down below.
The Manc -
18th August 2021 
