Aussie-based comedian dead after ‘freak accident’ at festival

An Aussie-based comedian has died at 54 following a “freak accident” while attending a festival overseas.

Australian-based comedian Tony Knight has died following a “terrible accident” at a festival in France.

The Melbourne-based Brit was attending the Rock & Cars Festival in Lavaur, France, last month when he was “tragically killed,” a family member told Fox News.

“He was only 54 and having the time of his life,” they shared. “He was fit, healthy, happy and had everything going for him. He was charismatic, funny, passionate and so very loved by [his partner] Hayley, his family and his friends all over the world.”

French media reported that Knight was killed when a large tree branch fell on top of him and several other festival patrons. He was the only to be killed in the accident.

Knight was attending a festival in France when tragedy struck.

Joanne Allen, the sister of Knight’s partner Hayley Wright, offered more detail of the tragedy on a GoFundMe page set up to accept donations in paying for his funeral and medical bills incurred before has death.

“Hayley is now living her worst nightmare and facing life without Tony, her soulmate,” Allen wrote.

“She is in Bouillac having to deal with the difficulties of Tony being an Englishman with Australian residency living in France, arranging a funeral, covering hospital expenses, meeting police detectives, doctors and the mayor, visiting the accident site and sorting Tony’s estate, all while experiencing a crushing amount of grief and disbelief in a foreign country.”

Allen revealed that at the time of Knight’s accident “he was heading to his beloved Bouillac in the south of France where he has a home and friends waiting for his annual return. Hayley was to follow soon, as they did every year at this time.

Comedian Tony Knight also worked as a “dog listener.”

“Tony had been in France only a few days before he lost his life attending a festival with his friend Pascall, and never made it home.

“We are beyond devastated that his life was taken by a freak accident … an accident that we are all still trying to comprehend.”

Knight’s Instagram page shows that the comedian regularly performed at venues across Victoria. Outside of his comedy career, Knight was also known for his work as a “Dog Listener,” helping dog owners to deal with problematic pet behaviour.

The GoFundMe campaign for Knight has currently raised around $6400 towards its $20,000 goal.

Originally published as Aussie-based comedian dead after ‘freak accident’ at festival