TV presenter and author Clive James has died, aged 80, it has been announced.
His family confirmed the news in a statement issued via his agent on Wednesday afternoon.
“Clive died almost 10 years after his first terminal diagnosis, and one month after he laid down his pen for the last time,” the statement reads.
“He endured his ever-multiplying illnesses with patience and good humour, knowing until the last moment that he had experienced more than his fair share of this ‘great, good world’.
“He was grateful to the staff at Addenbrooke’s hospital for their care and kindness, which unexpectedly allowed him so much extra time. His family would like to thank the nurses of the Arthur Rank Hospice at Home team for their help in his last days, which allowed him to die peacefully and at home, surrounded by his family and his books.”
His agent confirmed the broadcaster passed away at his home in Cambridge on Sunday, while a private funeral attended by family and close friends took place in the chapel at Pembroke College, Cambridge, on Wednesday afternoon.
Clive was born in Australia in 1939 but moved to the UK in 1961, where he lived until his death.
He was best known in the UK for his hit show Clive James On Television, which saw him introduce bizarre TV clips from around the world, all accompanied by his unmistakable wry commentary.
Clive was known for his wit and was open about his terminal illness in his final years.
In 2015, he admitted he was appalled at himself for spending the last years of his life watching box sets, despite having a long list of activities left on his bucket list.
He said at the time: “It still appalls me the amount of time I’ve spent watching moving images. Film and then TV, and now box sets. If you’re a grown man, indeed more than a grown man, if you’re a man who has grown old to the point of death and you’re sitting there watching a box set of Game of Thrones, you’re bound to ask yourself, ‘What is life for? Why am I waiting for Sean Bean to get executed. What is going on here?’
“Well I suppose the Americans would call it the thrill of the story. I don’t know what it is. It’s rather fun to be in the same conversation as everyone else.”
