Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness have united to pay tribute to Australian chef Bill Granger following his shock death at the age of 54.
The Wolverine star, 55, and the actress, 68, have offered their condolences in a joint Instagram statement.
‘We are devastated to hear the news of Bill’s passing. His talent, his joie de vivre, the way he brought people together, and his commitment to family were inspiring,’ the post read.
‘We will miss his friendship most of all. Our love goes out to Natalie and their three incredible daughters Edie, Ines and Bunny.’
‘Rest in peace. Deb and Hugh,’ the pair, who announced their split in September, ended.
Hugh Jackman joined with ex-wife Deborra-Lee Furness to pay tribute to top Australian restaurateur Bill Granger following his death aged 54
World-renowned Australian chef Bill died at the age of 54, his family revealed in an heartbreaking Instagram post on Wednesday.
He died ‘peacefully’ in hospital surrounded by his family.
‘He will be deeply missed by all, with his loss most profoundly felt by his adored family, who are grateful for all the love and support that has been given,’ the post read.
‘It is with great sadness that the family of Bill Granger announce he has passed away on 25th December at the age of 54.
‘A dedicated husband and father, Bill died peacefully in hospital with his wife Natalie Elliott and three daughters, Edie, Inès and Bunny, at his bedside in their adopted home of London.’
The Wolverine star, 55, and the actress, 68, have offered their condolences in a joint Instagram statement
Tributes flowed for Bill from fellow celebrity chefs including Nigella Lawson and Jamie Oliver.
‘I’m heartbroken to hear this. So cruel. Deepest love to N, E, I and B,’ Nigella wrote.
Jamie, 47, wrote he was ‘devastated’ by the news of Granger’s death and described the chef as a ‘wonderful human’ who made good food.
‘This is devastating news, I’m so sad to hear this, what a guy he was …. a wonderful human, kind calm soul,’ Jamie wrote.
‘I admired everything he represented in food. I remember the first time I met him many moons ago he couldn’t have been nicer and his food so good.
‘Sending so much love to all his family. Rest in peace, Bill, he will be sorely missed jox xx.’
In a second tribute shared to Jamie’s Instagram story, the British celebrity chef wrote he ‘loved Bill so much’.
‘This is such sad news… I loved Bill Granger so much, he was such a wonderful man, warm, charming, and had an extraordinary ease and style of cooking that could only come from Australia,’ Jamie wrote.
‘Bless you Bill so much love! What a guy. So much love to his family and friends.’
Former MasterChef judge Matt Preston also remembered Bill as a ‘genuinely lovely bloke and an inspiration’.
‘So sorry to hear this news … Together he (with Natalie by his side) helped shape the image of modern Australian food around the world. My thoughts are with his family, friends and all those he worked with at this sad time,’ he wrote.
Aussie actor Jason Donovan said Bill’s death is ‘devastating’ news.
‘Wonderful father and husband. Wonderful man! Ray of Aussie sunshine,’ the former Neighbours star said.
Australian chef Bill died at the age of 54, his family revealed in an heartbreaking Instagram post on Wednesday
Born in Melbourne, Australia, Bill was a self-taught cook who became a celebrated global restaurateur and food writer with a career spanning over 30 years.
In 1999, he and his wife Natalie began a professional partnership that launched the business globally. Together they built a successful business that today has 19 restaurants across Sydney, London, Greater Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka and Seoul.
Bill authored 14 cookbooks, made five TV series and most recently was honoured with the Medal of the Order of Australia in January 2023.
He will be remembered as the ‘King of Breakfast’, for making unpretentious food into something special filled with sunshine and for spurring the growth of Australian informal and communal eating around the world.
Born in Melbourne, Bill was a self-taught cook who became a celebrated global restaurateur and food writer with a career spanning over 30 years
The self-taught cook dropped out of art school at the age of 24 and opened his first ‘Bills’ restaurant in Sydney’s Darlinghurst in 1992.
Bill then went on to own an 18 cafe-strong empire with restaurants around the world including in Japan, Hawaii and London.
The chef was credited with inventing a breakfast staple that has come to define a generation – the humble avocado on toast.