'Comedy genius': Global tributes for Barry Humphries

The death of Australian entertainer Barry Humphries has sparked an outpouring of tributes for the treasured national icon at home and around the globe.

Humphries died on Saturday, aged 89, at St Vincents Hospital in Sydney where he was being treated for complications stemming from hip surgery earlier this year.

He was surrounded by his immediate family, including his wife of 30 years Lizzie Spender, his children Tessa, Emily, Oscar and Rupert, and 10 grandchildren.

Humphries, who has lived in London for decades, came back to Sydney in December for Christmas. He subsequently suffered a fall that led to his hip replacement surgery.

"He was completely himself until the very end, never losing his brilliant mind, his unique wit and generosity of spirit," his family said in a statement.

Humphries spent more than 70 years on the stage and was "an entertainer to his core" who loved his audiences and never took them for granted.

But he was also a painter, author, poet and collector of art.

"He was also a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, and a friend and confidant to many. His passing leaves a void in so many lives," his family said.

"The characters he created, which brought laughter to millions, will live on."

Humphries, who continued touring up until the last year of his life, was a man of many faces led by his comedic alter egos Housewife Gigastar Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese led the tributes on Saturday night, saying while Humphries was the creator of stars like Dame Edna, he was the brightest of them all.

"A great wit, satirist, writer and an absolute one-of-kind, he was both gifted and a gift," he said.

Former British prime minister Boris Johnson said Humphries was "one of the greatest ever Australians".

"What a loss," he said on Twitter.

Unsurprisingly, multiple tributes came from Humphries' fellow travellers in the world of entertainment, including British comedians Ricky Gervais and Matt Lucas and Australians Adam Hills, Rove McManus, Marty Fields and Jason Donovon.

All praised his genius, intelligence and generosity.

London-based Hills said he was "one of the greatest comedians of our time".

"He was nothing but an utter gentleman to me, and occasionally a Dame," Hills wrote on social media.

"A God of comedy. What a massive loss," Fields posted.

"Thank you for delighting and inspiring us. Quite simply, you were the greatest," Lucas tweeted, alongside a picture of himself and Humphries.

Welsh comedian Rob Brydon, who is in Australia and was with Humphries just three days ago, posted: "RIP Barry Humphries. A true great who inspired me immeasurably. It was a delight to call him my friend ... His talent shone until the very end."

Also in Australia for a series of performances, British comedian Jimmy Carr said: "A bit bittersweet doing gigs in Australia this evening, Barry Humphries has passed and no one will ever be as good at crowd work again."

John Barry Humphries was born in Melbourne on February 17, 1934.