'We were lucky to have had her so long'

Comedian and all-round musical megastar Tim Minchin reflects on two years without his beloved mum Ros - and why he's too 'fragile' to read his reviews

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It's been 20 years since Australian comedian Tim Minchin first registered on British radars with his award-winning Edinburgh show Darkside, a mix of comedy songs, political jokes and poignant, witty reflections on his own life, all played barefoot at his piano.

Since then the Northampton-born musician has written and starred in the Netflix drama Upright, released six albums of his work and created the critically acclaimed musical Matilda - inspired by the Roald Dahl book - which, in 2025, celebrates 15 years of West End success.

It has won seven Olivier awards and four Tonys and is about to start a second UK and Ireland tour with a new cast.

Now about to turn 50, and having rerecorded an album of his old songs, Tim is in a reflective mood. While he is tired after finishing a 33-gig UK tour this summer, he feels happier than ever getting to do what he loves. But the last two years have had challenges. Tim lost his mum Ros in 2023 after a three-year battle with blood cancer. He performed in Sydney hours after she died, having spent as much time with her as he could in her final months.