Australian actor and singer Ben Lewis, best known for his performances as the Phantom in Love Never Dies and The Phantom of the Opera in London’s West End, has died in Sydney, aged 46.

News of Lewis’s death has been met with tributes from across the theatre community, mourning an artist admired for his vocal strength, stage presence and resilience through illness.

In a social media post, producer Cameron Mackintosh wrote: “It is a tremendous shock to hear the tragic news … Ben was a towering presence and a great company leader when he played the title role of the Phantom in his native Australia and then again at His Majesty’s Theatre in London.”

Ben Lewis (1979–2025)

Andrew Lloyd Webber sent his “heartfelt condolences” to the Lewis family, writing that he “felt a personal connection with Ben’s horrible cause of death.” Lloyd Webber lost his son Nick to stomach and bowel cancer in 2023.

“There are no words to express what a delightful and incredible man he has been, was and is,” said musical theatre performer...