Ben Lewis, the Australian actor who played the title role in The Phantom of the Opera in London’s West End, died today of of bowel cancer in Sydney. He was 46.
His death was announced on Instagram by his friend, the Australian TV presenter Todd Woodbridge.
Born into a family of opera singers in London on September 28, 1979, Lewis studied voice at London’s Royal College of Music and the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. In the early 2000s, he appeared on stage in Sydney in such productions as Urinetown, Priscilla Queen of the Desert and A Little Night Music.
In 2011, Lewis starred in the original Australian production of Love Never Dies, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s sequel to his The Phantom of the Opera. In 2017-2018, Lewis starred in The Phantom of the Opera in London.
Other credits include the UK tours of Love Me Tender and The Bodyguard, and the 2018 West End revival of Company.
Lewis was was diagnosed with bowel cancer in February 2024. He is survived by his wife, the Australian actress Melle Stewart, who made headlines when suffered a debilitating stroke in 2021 which she linked to a very rare adverse reaction to the AstraZeneca Covid 19 vaccine. She later stated, “Despite the issues I’ve had due to the AstraZeneca vaccine, I am proud to say that I have gone on to receive multiples doses of the Pfizer vaccine and I remain a staunch advocate for vaccination.”