Comedian Cal Wilson dead at 53 after short illness

"Cal was loved by her family, friends, fans and peers and a huge hole has been torn in the heart of our community," a statement on her social media pages said.

Wilson was well known for her work in NZ and Australia, where she appeared on the ABC's Spicks and Specks and Good News Week.

She was mostly recently the host of The Great Australian Bake Off, which aired on Foxtel earlier this year.

A portrait of Wilson by artist Andrea Huelin won this year's Packing Room Prize at the Art Gallery of NSW.