Goodbye possums

Dame Edna star Barry, 89, dies after surgery for a broken hip

- KAREN ROCKETT

COMEDIAN Barry Humphries, who brought laughter to millions with characters as diverse as Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson, has died aged 89.

The comic genius, who had surgery in February for a broken hip, had been rushed back to hospital on Wednesday.

He was said at the time to be upbeat and "cracking jokes with visitors, in spite of his worsening condition.

The Australian star was best known in the UK for comedy talk show The Dame Edna Experience - on which the glitzy but bored 1950 s  Melbourne housewife interviewed celebrities including Liza Minnelli and Sean Connery, catching them off guard with her caustic humour.