Kate Bush pays tribute to late friend after his…
Kate Bush is remembering her late friend.
The “Running Up That Hill” singer paid tribute to Matthew Upham in an emotional assertion on her official web site on Sunday.
Upham, an antiques vendor, tragically died while swimming in the English Channel off the coast of Devon, England, on Dec. 25.
Kate Bush’s closest friend tragically handed away in Devon, England, on Christmas Day. ZIK Images/United Archives via Getty Images
Matthew Upham, who was 63, went lacking during a group swim to rejoice the Christmas vacation on Dec. 25, 2025. Matthew Upham Antiques/Instagram
“As you might have heard on the news, Matthew Upham was one of the swimmers who went missing in the sea in Devon on Christmas Day,” Bush, 67, started. “Matthew was one of my very dearest friends. I’d known him for thirty years.”
She continued, “He was one of those people who touched everyone he met. He was extraordinarily kind, thoughtful and lived life to the full. He was also a great deal of fun.”
The English singer went on to say that she was “heartbroken” in the wake of her close friend’s death, and it was “so tragic that he lost his life” the best way he did.
Kate Bush at the Royal Academy of Arts for Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee celebration on May 22, 2002 Corbis via Getty Images
The “Running Up That Hill” hitmaker in London in 1980. Getty Images
“The world has lost someone incredibly special,” Bush ended her message. “Thank you Matthew, for being one of the best friends anyone could have.”
The police had been called after two people had been reported lacking during a group Christmas Day swim at Budleigh Salterton seaside last week, according to the BBC.
Although a number of swimmers “were safely recovered to shore and checked either by paramedics at the scene or taken to hospital as a precaution,” the outlet reported that a search operation to discover Upham and another particular person was called off on Christmas evening.
Kate Bush remembered the late antiques vendor as one of her “very dearest friends” whom she knew “for thirty years.” PA Images via Getty Images
“I’ve never quite witnessed anything like this,” a Devon resident said shortly after the tragedy. “It’s very shocking and it’s sad – particularly on Christmas Day.”
Another resident named Mike Brown, who also participated in the group swim to rejoice the vacation, told the outlet that he was “unable to get out” until “two very brave men” got here to his rescue.
“I think it was a bit of herd mentality and Christmas spirit that resulted in 100 other people – like me – making the wrong decision,” the 60-year-old acknowledged. “We should never have gone in.”
A search operation to discover Matthew Upham and another lacking particular person was called off on Christmas evening.
Upham’s household later confirmed the vintage vendor’s passing and paid tribute to their late beloved one in a touching Instagram post.
“Our family is heartbroken by the loss of our beloved family member Matthew Upham, who was reported missing on Christmas Morning,” they wrote. “Matthew is deeply loved and will be forever missed.”
Upham’s household continued, “As we grieve and support one another, we kindly ask that our family’s privacy is respected. We thank everyone for their understanding, kindness, and condolences.”
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