Comic Paul Merton's wife dies

Sad news from BBC News Online:

Sarah Parkinson, the writer and producer wife of comedian Paul Merton, has died of cancer at the age of 41. Ms Parkinson was diagnosed with breast cancer in February last year and had been living an active life until her condition worsened a few weeks ago. She died on Tuesday morning with her husband by her bedside.

The couple had been together for a number of years before they married in June. She refused chemotherapy because she knew it would finish her off . In a statement issued by his agent, Merton said: "After her initial devastating diagnosis of cancer in February 2002 Sarah successfully lived with the disease for the next 19 months.

Merton's statement added: "She faced the situation with courage and died serenely and without pain in the early hours of Tuesday morning." In the past three years, Ms Parkinson worked on a number of projects with Merton, who is a team captain on BBC news quiz show Have I Got News For You. She was an inspired radio producer whose work was creative, funny and subversive

I saw this on Sky, very sad indeed. Nothing really more I can add, but it's a real shame.

I feel great sympathy to Paul Merton. One can only imagine how sad a time this must be for him.

Very Sad indeed

He is a really great and funny man, he didn't deserve this

I'd like to take this opportunity to give my deepest sympathies to the family and to boost my post count. Afterall - I know the family reads this forum.

Ah well, it's the thought that counts.

Sad to lose anyone to cancer, but at only 41 that's terrible. I wonder if Paul Merton will feel ready to start the next series of HIGNFY which should be due early October.

Speaking of which, does anyone know if they're going to appoint a permanent replacement for Angus, or continue with a different guest presenter every week?

My sympathies also to Paul Merton - it's such a shame that this has happened to him.

I could not believe the news when I read it on Teletext. My thoughts are with Paul at this time of sadness.