Andrew Lloyd Webber announces death of son Nicholas at 43 after cancer battle: 'I am shattered'

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Andrew Lloyd Webber announced his son Nicholas has died at the age of 43 after an 18-month battle with gastric cancer.

The 75-year-old Broadway legend revealed his oldest son died in a statement he shared to Twitter Saturday.

"I am shattered to have to announce that my beloved elder son Nick died a few hours ago in Basingstoke Hospital. His whole family is gathered together and we are all totally bereft," he wrote.

Andrew Lloyd Webber's son Nicholas, left, died Saturday after a battle with gastric cancer, the famed composer announced on Twitter. (Getty)

Fox News Digital has reached out to Webber's representatives for additional comment.

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Webber shared Nicholas with ex-wife Sarah Hugill, to whom he was married from 1971 to 1983. Webber and Hugill also have a daughter, Imogen Lloyd Webber, 45.

Last Sunday, Webber revealed Nicholas was "critically ill" with gastric cancer and had been hospitalized after battling the disease 18 months.

"I am absolutely devastated to say that my eldest son Nick is critically ill," Webber said in a statement that his representatives shared with Fox News Digital March 19.

"As my friends and family know, he has been fighting gastric cancer for the last 18 months, and Nick is now hospitalized.

"I therefore have not been able to attend the recent previews of 'Bad Cinderella' and, as things stand, I will not be able to cheer on its wonderful cast, crew and orchestra on opening night this Thursday.

"We are all praying that Nick will turn the corner," Webber added. "He is bravely fighting with his indomitable humor, but, at the moment, my place is with him and the family."

Webber's latest Broadway production is a reimagining of "Cinderella," which ran in London's West End from 2021-2022. 

On Thursday, the famed composer posted a video to Instagram in which he shared that Nicholas had been moved into hospice care after being diagnosed with pneumonia during his cancer battle. Webber also expressed his gratitude to his fans for their support and sent well wishes to the cast of "Bad Cinderella" on their opening night.

"Hi, it's Andrew and I want to thank you first for the huge outpouring of messages of support for my son, Nick," Webber said in the clip. "He’s now been moved into a hospice, and he’s battling away. I think he’s over the worst of this first bout of pneumonia that he’s got as a result of his cancer, which is just ghastly. We’re all here, and the family here has gathered around, and it was the right place for us all to be I think."

The six-time Tony Award winner said he was "absolutely gutted" that he had to miss the opening night of "Bad Cinderella" but said "my place is really here in England at the moment."

No other details about the form of Nicholas' cancer have been disclosed, though gastric cancer is more commonly known as stomach cancer. 

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Born July 2, 1979, Nicholas followed in his father's footsteps and became an acclaimed composer. He earned accolades for his work on the 2017 BBC Drama, "Love, Lies and Records." Nicholas also scored the 2017 musical "Fat Friends" and was the composer on the 2021 U.K. film "The Last Bus." 

Nicholas earned a best musical theater album Grammy nomination as a co-producer along with his father, Greg Wells and David Zippel for the 2021 original cast recording of "Cinderella." The West End musical is now being staged under the name "Bad Cinderella" in New York City.

In 2018, Nicoholas married viola player Polly Wiltshire, who performed in the 2019 movie adaptation of Webber's musical "Cats." 

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Fox News Digital's Tracy Wright contributed to this report.