COMEDIAN, singer and variety performer Max Bygraves has died aged 89, his agent said.

The veteran entertainer died peacefully in his sleep at home in Hope Island, Queensland, Australia, yesterday.

His agent Johnny Mans said: “His death is a great loss to the entertainment profession and a great loss to all of his friends in the industry.”

Bygraves, whose wife Blossom died in May last year after battling a long illness, is survived by one son and two daughters.

One of them, Christine Green, was with him when he died, Mr Mans said.

He also had several grandchildren.

The couple moved to Australia several years ago to take advantage of the warm climate.

Born Walter Bygraves in south London in 1922, he adopted the name Max after his hero Max Miller.

He appeared in films, stage shows and hosted gameshow Family Fortunes during a long-running career

Broadcaster Ed Stewart said his friend was a “unique talent” who “gave a lot of pleasure to a lot of people”.

The former radio presenter told BBC News: “He as a person never dated.

“He was a great character with a great sense of humour, a lovely family and it’s just a shame that he’s gone, but at nearly 90, he had a good run.

“He was a unique talent, and everything he sang and everything he did, just about, made money for him and the family.

“Like everybody else in those days, he was viewed with a lot of respect. He was an entertainer through and through.

“There were one or two others at the time but Max was the doyen of them all, and this likeable lad was just on everybody’s radio sets in the days of the BBC when you only had the live programmes.

“Those programmes and those records of his gave a lot of pleasure to a lot of people and were huge sellers.”