A A Gill

I agree. He was a real character. It all happened so fast.

His final article in the ST magazine is interesting and as full of his pithy comments as ever.

Love or loathe him, a unique writer and man of great spirit.
What a year this has been

I was sadden to hear of his death, so young.

RIP

So sad to learn of this last night. He was a wizard with words and it came as a surprise a while ago to learn that he was badly dyslexic and dictated all his articles. I hope he managed to marry his partner as that was his great wish three weeks ago when he announced his illness.

What a loss. His articles were a huge pleasure to read. Too young, too soon.

That is a shock - so soon after he announced that he had cancer. I wonder if he had time to marry his partner?
I liked his style of writing too ( as Rinouchka said, he dictated it to his secretary.) I always went to his artcle first when I bought the ST.

Yes he did marry his long time girlfriend and they had two children. His last article in todays Sunday Times supplement is very moving, he had a very hard time in this illness poor man.

So what he said about Clare Baldring and Mary Beard passes without comment?

And he killed a baboon😡

This is what Mary Beard tweeted: "Sad aa gill died. He was horribly critical of me & l was furious. But good old fashioned signed journalism. Wish I'd been able to shake hands".

I always thought he was a prat and Mary Beard was and is very gracious. And yes I did read what he wrote. "The Blonde" always made me cringe. But let me not speak ill of the dead.

From what I've read, he didn't have enough time to marry his long-term girlfriend, Nicola Formby, which is a shame.

Yes he was a prat, but an interesting one.

He also left two older children with his former wife Amber Rudd. I'm not sure how old they are, the younger ones are just children, but how sad to lose your father at a young age, especially just before Christmas.

Why do people always say " Especially before Christmas" meaning the sadness is worse because of that?? I have always thought that is just plain daft, someone dies, it is just as sad any day of the year what the hell difference does Christmas make.

it makes a difference. If you'd had someone close die just before Christmas you'd understand, if not then you won't,

I don't know where I have been because I have never heard of A A Gill. Sad when anyone dies of course.

Restaurant critic for The Sunday Times KatyK

Any family member's death around Christmas time is worse than at any other time of year because of all the jollity and celebrations around that time.

Oh was he roses ?

He was also their TV critic. Amazing way with words, loved his piece on the Brexit vote. Didn't realise he took the AA bit to celebrate Alcoholics Anonymous who helped him recover. RIP

I feel as if I've lost a family member, AA Gill was so much a part of my life. I always read his articles, he had such a wonderful way of writing. I certainly didn't always agree with him and it infuriated me that he refused to review restaurants outside London (with a few exceptions, including his very last review of a fish and chip shop in Whitby).
Sundays will never be quite the same. RIP.

There was an article about him in today's Times (apart from the two page obituary) in which several people said basically, he hurt my business/ insulted and hurt me, but he said it in such an original and brilliant way! Made me chuckle!

what the hell difference does Christmas make
because it's a time of celebration, of remembering a birth, of family gatherings and should be a happy time but future Christmases will always be tinged with sadness.

My friend's FIL died on Christmas Day in their house (unexpectedly), having a rest, but at least he had enjoyed a lovely dinner first.