Will Smith's father Willard Smith Sr dies

Will Smith is mourning the death of his father, Willard Caroll Smith Sr, according to the star’s first wife Sheree Fletcher.

Will Smith with dad Willard and son Trey (Sheree Fletcher’s Instagram)

Posting the above picture of Will and his dad with his son Trey, 23, who he has with Sheree, she wrote on Instagram: “We’re gonna miss you Daddio! You lived & played by your own rules…you truly were 1 of a kind! You instilled discipline, and a work ethic that has created a legacy in your honor! (Pic left to right: Will Smith II; Will Smith III (Trey); Will Smith I (Daddio!) #RIPDaddio #donttellmetheresnothingyoucantdo #WillSMITH1

Will - who also has kids Jaden, 18, and Willow, 16, with wife Jada Pinkett Smith - is yet to confirm the news, however he previously praised his dad, a refrigeration engineer and a former member of the US Air Force, as a "steady and positive figure” in his life.

He once said: “Dad was tough but not tyrannical.

"He kept me in line. He’d get this look that said, ‘One more step, Will, and it’ll get ugly. He was an independent businessman - he set up refrigeration in supermarkets - and he always provided for us. He’s a steady and positive figure in my life.”