Comedian Dies 17 Months After Cancer Diagnosis: Steve Legg Was 57
The comedian revealed in a Sept. 12 update that he had been hospitalized amid his months-long battle with melanoma.
Beloved comedian and magician Steve Legg has died. The performer, who took his talents to five continents and is said to have covered 1.5 million miles on the road, passed away Monday, Sept. 16 following a 17-month battle with cancer, his family announced in a statement shared to his Facebook. Legg was 57.
“Yesterday evening, Steve finally left us,” the statement read. “Saying goodbye to him is the hardest thing that we have ever had to do and we already miss him more than words can say. As we left the hospital that last time, there was the most glorious sunset, the heavens literally lighting up to welcome a precious son home.”
It continued, “We never wanted this day to come, but we are glad this last week is over and Steve is safe now with no more tears or pain. He died knowing he was loved by so many and now he is with the one who loves him most. There is enormous comfort in that.”
Legg had been a performer since 1988, performing a mix of comedy and magic, and using his talents to spread his Christian message, per Chortle. In 2018, he marked astonishing one million miles driven and 30 years on the road, his friend Carl Breech wrote. In total, Legg brought his talents to five continents, performing at some of the most prestigious venues, including the UK’s Birmingham’s National Indoor Arena, Wembley Conference Centre, London’s Royal Albert Hall, and Manchester’s Apollo Theatre.
In addition to his magic comedy shows, Legg was also an author. In 2008, he established Sorted, “the UK’s most wholesome men’s magazine.” He was also a podcaster on the faith-based Pure247 radio station.
In recent years, Legg had battled cancer. In a January essay published on Woman Alive, his wife recalled that “it all began when we discovered a dark mark on the sole of his foot. What I initially thought was something he had stood on turned out to be melanoma, an aggressive form of skin cancer.” Legg underwent “numerous surgeries and failed treatments,” and in April 2023, doctors told him “the cancer had spread to Steve’s brain, stomach, liver and spine; that there were only palliative options left.”
Although Legg was only given five to six months to live, he battled cancer for more than a year, keeping fans updated on his journey on Facebook. In his final Sept. 12 update, he told his fans that he “came into hospital in an ambulance” after experiencing “a lot of pain.” He said that scans shows his cancer had spread “and a large tumour in my bowel has caused a perforation.” Legg explained that “surgery isn’t an option… we’ve been warned this could be an ‘end of life’ event. God has been with us throughout as our family has held each other, come home from far away and in the extraordinary kindness of family and friends.”
Following his passing, those closest to him have paid tribute, with fellow comedian Simon Thomas remembering Legg as “a legend” who “brought so much joy to so many and communicated the #christian message in such an amazing, relevant way. In fact, in 2018 he celebrated an astonishing one million miles driven and 30 years on the road. But above all he was just a top top bloke who was always a joy to spend time with.”
Legg’s family thanked his followers “for loving him and us so well” and said they will release details of how fans can pay tribute to Legg at a later time.
