Comedian and presenter Dara Ó Briain has paid tribute to Professor Stephen Hawking, describing the late physicist and cosmologist as “a hero” and saying it was “a privilege” to work with him.
Hawking died peacefully at his home in Cambridge in the early hours of Wednesday morning at the age of 76. He had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a form of motor neurone disease, when he was a 22-year-old student at Cambridge University.
Ó Briain, who worked with Hawking on the 2015 documentary Dara Ó Briain Meets Stephen Hawking, was among the first to pay tribute.
“What a privilege it was to know Stephen Hawking,” Ó Briain wrote on Twitter.
“His work elevated us to the extra-ordinary; his life pushed down a terrible, limiting disease so that he could enjoy the full joy of the ordinary. In both, he was a triumph of what can we, as humans, can achieve.”
“He was one of the few people I would call a hero of mine; it was an honour and joy to have spent time with him,” the mathematics and theoretical physics graduate continued.
He was one of the few people I would call a hero of mine; it was an honour and joy to have spent time with him. My condolences and love to Lucy, Tim and all his family and his amazing team. Even in their sadness they should feel great pride in the life he led.
I asked him once “How have you lived so long?” And he said “How can I die, when I have so much of the Universe left to explore?”
Eddie Redmayne, who won an Oscar for his portrayal of Hawking in the film The Theory of Everything, said: “We have lost a truly beautiful mind, an astonishing scientist and the funniest man I have ever had the pleasure to meet.
“My love and thoughts are with his extraordinary family.”
Katy Perry, Stephen Fry, Jonathan Ross and Macaulay Culkin were among the many stars who also paid tribute.
Perry said there was a “black hole in my heart” shortly after hearing the news of Hawking’s passing.
there’s a big black hole in my heart hours before Pi day. Rest In Peace @Steven_Hawking… See you in the next 
Stephen Fry remembered Hawking’s “fabulously wicked sense of humour” in his tweet.
Sad news to wake up to here in the US. Pleased so many have recalled #StephenHawking ‘s fabulously wicked sense of humour. My character Adrian in The Liar saw him, as I sometimes did, in the Cambridge University Library.
TV presenter Jonathan Ross tweeted: “RIP Stephen Hawking. The world just dropped a lot of IQ points. And, he was a fun person. Very sad news.”
RIP Stephen Hawking. The world just dropped a lot of IQ points. And, he was a fun person. Very sad news.
Comedian David Walliams, who worked with Hawking on comedy show Little Britain, thanked his late co-star for being “a great laugh”.
Goodbye #StephenHawking Thank you for being – amongst everything else – a great laugh.
The cast of The Big Bang Theory said it was “an honour” to have worked with him on the sitcom.
In loving memory of Stephen Hawking. It was an honor to have him on The #BigBangTheory. Thank you for inspiring us and the world.
Actor Macaulay Culkin recounted Hawking’s appearances on The Simpsons, writing: “I just heard about Stephen Hawking’s passing. He was both a genius and my favorite Simpsons character. We’ll miss you, buddy.”
I just heard about Stephen Hawking’s passing. He was both a genius and my favorite Simpsons character. We’ll miss you, buddy.
Apple CEO Tim Cook said the world “will always be inspired” by Stephen Hawking’s life and ideas.
“The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge.” -Stephen Hawking. We will always be inspired by his life and ideas. RIP.
Here are some more of the tributes:
His passing has left an intellectual vacuum in his wake. But it’s not empty. Think of it as a kind of vacuum energy permeating the fabric of spacetime that defies measure. Stephen Hawking, RIP 1942-2018.
I am so sad to hear of the death of Prof. Stephen Hawking. ‘A brief history of time’ piqued my interest in the universe & encouraged me to pursue Theoretical Physics. He was a larger than life role model for so many people & made such positive contributions to the world. RIP
It also makes me think of my wonderful uncle Rory who sadly died from motor neuron disease. Aside from his scientific work, Hawking achieved so much by persevering through the challenges of the illness. https://twitter.com/aoibhinn_ni_s/status/973825030961364992 …
I met Stephen Hawking at the Magic Castle about 6 years ago. I’ll never forget it. Thank you for your work Stephen. Thank you for showing us how powerful the human spirit is. #RIP
Just sitting here absolutely shattered about Stephen Hawking.
Farewell to a brilliant mind.
Thank you for being so generous with your knowledge in the brief time you were with us. #ripstephenhawking
RTE.ie
