Sha Wylie, believed to be England's oldest stand-up comedian, has died at the age of 81. The Edinburgh Fringe Festival regular passed away on July 5 after a brief illness, surrounded by her family in Brighton.
A Life in Comedy
Wylie made the finals of the Leicester Comedy Festival Silver Stand-up contest for acts over 55 twice. She was also endorsed by comedy legend Ronnie Corbett. A spokesperson for Stand-Up Marketing, Kerry Herbert, confirmed the news: “Sha Wylie passed away peacefully and surrounded by her family on Sunday 5th July in Brighton, following a brief illness that required her to go to the GPs in her crocs and the hospital in her WTF earrings. She was 81, a regular at the Brighton Fringe and still gigging to the end, getting to venues using her bus pass and a bright yellow Alinker walking-bike.”
Remembering Sha
The obituary noted that Wylie once said if she were to have a headstone, it would say: “Sha was fat and that was that.” The family added: “We’d like it to say, ‘Sha was loved, by her three children, her grandchildren, her many foster children, her nieces and nephews, her friends, her penpals, and her whole comedy family.’ But that’s too many words, so we’ll just hold her in our hearts and remember her unctuous voice calling us ‘darling’, her bright pink hair, and her spectacular earrings - recent ones being Lego seagulls ready for a chip. She will be terribly missed. Rest in peace, Sha.”
Tributes Pour In
Tributes have flooded in for Wylie. One fan wrote: “I’m so saddened to hear of the passing of Sha Wylie, the true matriarch of the Brighton comedy scene. Sha wasn’t just a wonderful comedian; she was someone who genuinely cared about the people around her. She was always invested in her fellow comedians, encouraging, supporting and celebrating others as much as herself. That kindness made her just as special off stage as she was on it. Thank you, Sha, for your warmth, your laughter and the legacy you’ve left behind. You’ll be deeply missed. Rest peacefully.”
