Journalist and broadcaster John McCririck has died at the age of 79.
He passed away at a London hospital on Friday after suffering ill health in recent months, and his family say his funeral will be private.
McCririck was well known for his outlandish dress sense and his ebullient personality in the betting ring during his roles on TV, first for ITV and latterly for Channel 4.
Prior to that, he worked for the Sporting Life newspaper and in recent years he had appeared on At The Races.
Survived by his wife of 48 years, Jenny, McCririck - known as 'Big Mac' to many in the racing world - was a familiar face on Channel 4's coverage of the sport for many years, with his career on television spanning four decades.
He was an unmissable character with his deerstalker hat, sideburns and cigar, and thrived at the heart of what he called the "betting jungle".
In 1981, he joined ITV Sport's horse racing coverage, which then moved to Channel 4, where he would spend more than 25 years at his familiar spot in the betting ring.
He appeared in various other mainstream programmes, including Celebrity Big Brother, before he acrimoniously left Channel 4 Racing in 2012, subsequently losing an age discrimination case made against the station and production company IMG Media Limited.
The Racing Post confirmed the sad news on Twitter on Friday morning.
The British Horseracing Authority paid tribute to McCririck, tweeting: "We are saddened to hear of the passing of John McCririck.
"Throughout a lengthy and colourful career, one thing was always clear - his enduring passion and love for the sport of horse racing.
"He was a recognisable figure and resonated with the wider public. Our condolences go to his family."
Ascot Racecourse also released a statement, reading: "Everyone at Ascot is deeply saddened to hear of the passing of John McCririck. He was an unmistakable presence in racing, and one of the most impactful broadcasters of his generation."
Last October, in an interview with the Daily Mail, McCririck said he didn't expect to be alive the same time this year.
He said at the time: "Racing was my life but now when I go I think: 'What am I doing here?' I feel like a dinosaur. You're a lost soul wandering around an environment you're no longer part of.
"Life is empty. I don't expect to be alive this time next year. It's a question of slipping away."
On his wife Jenny, he said: "When I'm gone she knows exactly what to do and she'll be fine."
