Prolific writer and restaurant critic AA. Gill has died. He was 62. A longtime columnist for the British newspaper The Sunday Times, Gill had recently revealed his cancer diagnosis in an unconventional way — through a review.
The Times confirmed his death on Saturday morning, and notified staff in a memo written by editor Marvin Ivens:
Dear Readers,
It is with profound sadness that I must tell you that our much-loved colleague Adrian Gill died this morning.
Adrian was stoical about his illness, but the suddenness of his death has shocked us all. Characteristically he has had the last word, writing an outstanding article about coming to terms with his cancer in tomorrow’s Sunday Times Magazine.
He was the heart and soul of the paper. His wit was incomparable, his writing was dazzling and fearless, his intelligence was matched by compassion. Adrian was a giant among journalists. He was also our friend. We will miss him.
I know you will want to join me in sending condolences to Nicola Formby and his children.
A quotable character in his own right, Gill was a recovering alcoholic whose breakout story was a piece in the Tatler in which he wrote about being in a detox clinic. Over the years he contributed to a number of publications including Vanity Fair and The New York Times. He was once thrown out of a restaurant by Gordon Ramsay over a review, though Ramsay acknowledge in a response written for The Independent that Gill was a “very witty writer.” In addition to writing about food, Gill was a voice on a variety of cultural topics. Over the summer, he came out as a staunch critic of the Brexit.
Devastated to learn my good friend + superb colleague AA Gill has died of cancer. Only just told us he had it. Cruel and sad.
— Andrew Neil (@afneil) December 10, 2016
Very sad to hear the news about the passing of the brilliant AA Gill. An outstanding writer & critic.
— Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) December 10, 2016
In an interview with Sunday Times following the disclosure of his illness, Gill said he felt at peace with his diagnosis. “I realize I don’t have a bucket list; I don’t feel I’ve been cheated of anything. I’d like to have gone to Timbuktu, and there are places I will be sorry not to see again,” he said.
• AA Gill Dies Weeks After Revealing He Had Cancer in Restaurant Review [The Guardian]
• AA Gill: An Announcement By the Editor of The Sunday Times [Sunday Times]
• Prolific Food Critic AA Gill Announces Cancer Diagnosis in Latest Review [E]
• 'My opinion is worth more than others' [The Guardian]
• All Critics Coverage [E]