Comedian Sean Lock has died from cancer at the age of 58, his agent has confirmed.
In a statement released to the PA news agency by Off The Kerb Productions, his agent said he was surrounded by his family when he passed away.
It read: "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.
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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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Comedian Lee Mack, a close friend of Lock's, shared his condolences with his family.
He said: "I've known this day was coming for some time, but it's no less heart-breaking.
"A true original both in comedy and life. I will miss him so much."
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As well as his successful stand-up career, Lock was best known for being a team captain on 8 Out of 10 Cats and 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown.
He also wrote and starred in the popular BBC sitcom 15 Storeys High.
The show was set in a tower block and centred on a pessimistic character called Vince (played by Lock) and his flatmate Errol, played by Benedict Wong.
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Born in Woking, Surrey, the comedy star left school in the early 1980s and began working on building sites, but developed skin cancer, which he blamed on over-exposure to the sun.
He went on to make a full recovery and focused on a career in comedy.
One of his first professional TV appearances was in 1993, starring alongside Rob Newman and David Baddiel on their signature TV show Newman And Baddiel In Pieces.
He script-edited the 1998 BBC Two series Is It Bill Bailey? and had his own show on BBC Radio 4 called 15 Minutes Of Misery, which was later expanded into TV series 15 Storeys High.
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In 2005, Lock became a regular team captain on the panel show 8 Out of 10 Cats, a role he held for 18 series.
Between 2006 and 2007 he hosted Channel 4 series, TV Heaven, Telly Hell, in which he invited celebrities to share their own selection of TV's triumphs and tragedies.
Lock also appeared on panel shows such as Have I Got News for You and QI.
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