Veteran British comedian and television host Bob Monkhouse died today at his Bedfordshire home, his manager said. He was 75. He died peacefully in his sleep after a two-and-a-half year battle against prostate cancer, said Peter Prichard.
Mr Prichard, who was Monkhouse's manager for 38 years, said: "Sadly, I have to announce the death of Bob Monkhouse OBE. Bob died peacefully in his sleep this morning at his home after a lengthy battle with cancer."
Mr Prichard said the comedian's wife, Jackie, called him shortly after 5am with the news.
The former Family Fortune host died at his home in the village of Eggington, near Leighton Buzzard, during the night, he said.
Mr Prichard said he was "choked" to deliver "the very, very sad news". He added: "The family requests privacy at this very unhappy time."
Monkhouse leaves a daughter, Abigail. His two sons both died in tragic circumstances - Gary from cerebral palsy and Simon from a heroin overdose.
Born in Beckenham, Kent, in June 1928, Monkhouse started out as a comedy writer and rose to become one of the country's top comics with a highly polished on-screen persona that people seemed to either love or hate.
He worked a punishing schedule. "I'll never stop working," he once said. "I want to die in the saddle. A day is wasted for me if I haven't done something even mildly creative."
His TV debut was in the 1950s comedy show Fast And Loose and by 1960 he was host of the British version of Candid Camera.
He went on to front Celebrity Squares, Family Fortunes, Bob's Full House, Bob Says Opportunity Knocks and, more recently, the National Lottery Draw. Monkhouse also appeared in 12 films including Carry On Sergeant.