Sean Hughes’s family have addressed the comedian’s £4m estate being given to a homelessness charity, saying they are “immensely proud”.
The beloved Never Mind the Buzzcocks panellist, who died aged 51 in 2017, made a homemade will stating he wanted his north London home, worth £1.8m, as well as two other properties, valued at a combined £2.15m, to go to Shelter.
However, uncertainties surrounding the comic’s wording in the will, which he made without legal assistance, required intervention from the High Court. This led to a drawn-out legal issue that lasted almost 10 years.
But earlier this week, a judge ruled that Hughes was finally able to have his wishes fulfilled, with the properties given to charity.
His family shared a statement, evoking the wit that made Hughes such a respected comedian: “As Sean’s family, we are delighted to confirm his bequest to Shelter. Sean was a great and generous comedian, but horrible at admin.”
They said that “housing vulnerability was an issue very close to Sean’s heart” and “was profoundly marked by his own struggles when he moved to London to do stand-up.”
It was at this time that Hughes “became a big admirer of Shelter’s work”.
His family continued: “We are immensely proud of Sean’s legacy and hope this gift will encourage others to think of people less privileged when making their final plans (ideally with at least a teeny, tiny bit of legal advice!).”
The properties that Shelter has acquired include Hughes’ former residence in Glasslyn Road, Crouch End, as well as two others nearby on Edison Avenue and Elder Avenue, worth £1.5m and £650,000 respectively.
Andy Harris, Shelter’s director of income generation, said: “Sean Hughes was a passionate supporter of Shelter’s work, and we are enormously grateful for the generous gift left in his will. We have worked closely with Sean’s family to ensure his wishes are honoured.
“Gifts left in wills are a vital source of income for Shelter. This donation will enable us to continue to deliver expert support and advice to people impacted by the housing emergency and to campaign for everyone’s right to a safe and secure home.”
Hughes, who never married, died of liver cirrhosis after suffering a cardiac arrest in 2017.
The comedian, born in London and raised in Dublin, first performed at the Comedy Store in 1987. He went on to win the main prize at the prestigious Perrier Comedy Awards – now the Edinburgh Comedy Awards – in 1990 for A One Night Stand With Sean Hughes. At 24, Hughes was the youngest comedian ever to win the accolade.
The Irishman was most famous for his television work as a team captain on the former BBC series Never Mind the Buzzcocks, where, between 1996 and 2002, he starred alongside Phill Jupitus and Mark Lamarr.
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