Vibrant New Zealand comedian, author, radio, podcast and television presenter Cal Wilson has died unexpectedly after a short illness aged 53.

Wilson grew up in Christchurch New Zealand, forming an improv group called the Court Jesters in 1990, who would go on to win the World Theatre Sports Championship in 1994. She decided to pursue stand up comedy full time and was an inaugural winner of the Billy T in 1997, which has become New Zealand’s most prestigious comedy award.

20 years ago, Wilson relocated to Melbourne and among the many TV and comedy shows she was part of, also co-hosted with Akmal Saleh a networked drive program on Nova FM in 2007, later moving to Mornings on Melbourne’s Nova 100 with Dylan Lewis. She left Nova in 2009.

Wilson was currently co-hosting The Great Australian Bake Off with Natalie Tran and new judges Darren Purchese and Rachel Khoo. Purchese was the last guest on her podcast with Kirsty Webeck, You’ll Never Believe This, But….., released just last month.