Sean Hughes’ £4m estate finally goes to Shelter, highlighting the legal pitfalls when homemade wills hit courtroom turbulence.
The London-born Irish comic, best known for his role as a team captain on Never Mind the Buzzcocks, sadly passed away in 2017, aged just 51. During his lifetime, he supported the housing charity Shelter and specified in his will that his property portfolio should go to the charity.
However, while handwritten notes can help full a comedian’s career, Hughes’ homemade will sparked a lengthy courtroom drama.
Hughes drafted his will using an online platform without legal assistance and he wrote that he wanted to leave ‘my three houses to Shelter’, but only one of his homes was in his name. The other two were owned by a company of which he was the sole shareholder.
The High Court has now ruled the properties – his former home in Crouch End and two nearby flats – should go to Shelter, marking the end of an almost decade-long legal battle.
Master Iain Pester, who was in charge of the case, delivered the verdict via a video link. Both Hughes’s family and Shelter agreed that his intention was clear: the charity should receive the properties, whether owned directly or through his company.
Andy Harris, director of income generation at Shelter, said: ‘Sean Hughes was a passionate supporter of Shelter’s work, and we are enormously grateful for the generous gift left in his will. We have worked closely with Sean’s family to ensure his wishes are honoured.
‘Gifts left in wills are a vital source of income for Shelter. This donation will enable us to continue to deliver expert support and advice to people impacted by the housing emergency and to campaign for everyone’s right to a safe and secure home.’
After Hughes died, Mark Steel – English author, stand-up comedian and broadcaster – described him as ‘really warm with people’. He said: ‘There was a genuine charm to him that was way beyond showbiz. He liked that world: being sat in the corner of a pub with a load of people who’d been at the football. Being funny with them but not in a show-off way.’
Hughes’ ‘genuine charm’ is clear in his gift. Unlike other high profile donations, such as Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour, who sold his house for £3.6m and gave the proceeds to Crisis, Hughes’ gesture is deeply personal, involving his own homes built up over a lifetime of creative work.
Following the court’s decision, Hughes’ family started a statement which read: ‘As Sean’s family, we are delighted to confirm his bequest to Shelter. Sean was a great and generous comedian, but horrible at admin.’
They added that ‘housing vulnerability was an issue very close to Sean’s heart’ and ‘was profoundly marked by his own struggles when he moved to London to do stand-up.’
‘We are immensely proud of Sean’s legacy and hope this gift will encourage others to think of people less privileged when making their final plans (ideally with at least a teeny, tiny bit of legal advice!).’
Image: Openverse
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