Celebrity

TV Legend Died After Surgery Went Wrong: Paul Laing’s Cause of Death Released

White rose and burning candles on black mirror surface in darkness, closeup. (Credit: Liudmila Chernetska / Getty Images)

A legend of the screen in the U.K. tragically passed away after a surgery gone wrong. According to Express, British TV legend Paul Stewart Laing died in January 2023 after undergoing elective surgery for gallbladder removal and common bile duct exploration. An inquest was just held at Exeter Coroner’s Court earlier in January.

Four days after his release from the hospital, Laing seemed to be recovering well, but things took a turn for the TV staple near the end of the month. He was rushed back to the hospital where he deteriorated and was diagnosed with sepsis. The 83-year-old was then taken in for emergency surgery to locate the source of the sepsis, but he suffered cardiac arrest after being put under anesthesia. His cause of death was officially listed as “septicemia due to abdominal sepsis.”

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Dr. Aditya Kanwar spoke about the TV legend’s passing, noting that the situation was “very unusual” and “unlucky” while noting that his age likely played a factor. “He probably did not have much reserves to fight it,” the doctor said. “It was a very precarious situation. You are damned if you do something and damned if you don’t. It was his only fighting chance at that time.”

Laing was best known for his television production and directing work, including the super popular shows like Celebrity Squares and New Faces. He also hosted Name That Tune, helping to launch later Strictly Come Dancing judge Arlene Phillips. He also had a hand in launching names like Les Dennis, Lenny Henry, and Victoria Wood.

“My dad loved living in Plymouth and spending time on his boat at Sutton Harbour. We are all very proud of his brilliant career and everything he achieved but it was his family and his partner who were most important to him,” Laing’s daughter wrote after his passing. “His four children and seven grandchildren will find it very difficult to get used to the absence of his larger-than-life presence, as will Margaret, his partner of 36 years.”