Sir Roger Moore dies aged 89 following "short but brave" cancer battle

Sir Roger Moore has died aged 89 following a battle with cancer.

The former James Bond star died in Switzerland on Tuesday after a "short but brave" battle with the disease, his family has confirmed.

“With the heaviest of hearts, we must share the awful news that our father, Sir Roger Moore, passed away today. We are all devastated,” a post on his official Twitter account read.

His three children Deborah, Geoffrey and Christian Moore said in statement: "It is with a heavy heart that we must announce our loving father, Sir Roger Moore, has passed away today in Switzerland after a short but brave battle with cancer. The love with which he was surrounded in his final days was so great it cannot be quantified in words alone.

"We know our own love and admiration will be magnified many times over, across the world, by people who knew him for his films, his television shows and his passionate work for UNICEF which he considered to be his greatest achievement.

"The affection our father felt whenever he walked on to a stage or in front of a camera buoyed him hugely and kept him busy working into his 90th year, through to his last appearance in November 2016 on stage at London’s Royal Festival Hall.

"The capacity crowd cheered him on and off stage, shaking the very foundations of the building just a short distance from where he was born."

The statement continued: "Thank you pops for being you, and for being so very special to so many people.

"Our thoughts must now turn to supporting Kristina at this difficult time, and in accordance with our father’s wishes there will be a private funeral in Monaco."

"Deborah, Geoffrey and Christian."

Moore was the third actor to play 007, starring in seven feature films between 1973 and 1985.

His first film as Bond was 1973’s Live and Let Die, followed by The Man with the Golden Gun, 1974, The Spy Who Loved Me, 1977, Moonraker, 1979, For Your Eyes Only, 1981, Octopussy, 1983 and A View To Kill, 1985.

Before Bond, Moore was best known for his role as Simon Templar in television adaptation of The Saint, based on the novels by Leslie Charteris.

The Saint ran for six seasons and a total of 118 episodes, making it the joint longest-running British TV show of its kind, alongside The Avengers.

He also starred in television shows Maverick, The Alaskans and The Persuaders before stepping into the shoes of the secret service spy.

Moore didn’t act on screen for five years after stepping down from the film franchise, going on to appear in films including Bed and Breakfast, Spice World, The Enemy and Incompatibles.

He became a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 1991 and was knighted in 2003 for services to charity.

Moore married Doorn Van Steyn in 1946 when he was just 18 years old but divorced in 1953, after which he married Welsh singer Dorothy Squires, who was 13 years his senior.

The couple left Squires for Italian actress Luisa Mattioli, who he met on the set of The Rape of the Sabine Women in 1961, with the couple eventually marrying in 1969.

Moore and Mattioli, who have three children together, separated in 1993 and the actor went on to marry Kristina "Kiki" Tholstrup in 2002.

Tholstrup’s daughter Christina Knudsen died last year aged 47 following battle with cancer.

Moore wrote on Twitter: “Our beautiful daughter Christina (aka Flossie) lost her battle with cancer 25 July at 10am. We are heartbroken.

“We were all with her, surrounding her with love, at the end.”