Andrew Lloyd Webber shares in an emotional essay for The New York Times that he was quoting P.G. Wodehouse with his son Nicholas Webber, who died of stomach cancer at the age of 43 in March. The composer shared that the father-son duo were speaking in Wodehouse quotes on the day before Nick’s passing. Nick, who was following in his famous dad’s footsteps, had been nominated for a Grammy after scoring the original cast recording of “Cinderella” in 2021.
Andrew Lloyd Webber fondly remembers his son Nicholas quoting P.G. Wodehouse and laughing with him just one day before his death from stomach cancer at 43 years old.
Andrew Lloyd Webber, the acclaimed composer behind hits like “Phantom of the Opera,” recalls quoting P.G. Wodehouse with his son Nicholas Webber one day before his death at age 43 from stomach cancer. In a heartfelt essay for The New York Times, Andrew shared that he and his son were “speaking in Wodehouse quotes” and laughed over a particular line: “‘Has anybody ever seen a dramatic critic in the daytime? Of course not. They come out after dark, up to no good.’ We hugged and said our goodbyes.” The next day, Nick passed away in hospice care. Andrew reflected, “Nothing’s worse for a parent than the death of a child.”
Nick had been battling gastric cancer for 18 months before his passing on March 25. Andrew, who announced Nick’s grave condition on March 19, also revealed his son’s death on Twitter, stating that his family was “totally bereft.” Nick was following in his father’s footsteps and was nominated for a Grammy for his work on the original cast recording of “Cinderella” in 2021. He dropped the Lloyd from his last name in an effort to be recognized for his talents alone.
Describing his son’s battle with cancer, Andrew shared that Nick maintained his “indomitable humor” and joked until the end. He added, “As my friends and family know, he has been fighting gastric cancer for the last 18 months and Nick is now hospitalized. We are praying that Nick will turn the corner. He is a brave and determined young man, and am sure he will come through this ordeal as he has always come through so many.” However, Nick’s condition worsened, and the family said their final goodbyes.
Andrew reflects on the pain of losing a child but remains grateful for the memories he shared with Nick. In his essay, he wrote, “But I’m lucky. I had him almost 43 years. I saw the joy on his face when he conducted his first proper concert in a real concert hall. He didn’t mind too much that it was a charity.” Andrew ended with a message of hope for others going through similar experiences, writing, “All I can say is this: I felt his love every moment I was with him.”