Sitcom star Paul Shane dies at age 72

Paul Shane, star of 1980s BBC sitcom "Hi-de-Hi!" has passed after a short illness, according to The Guardian.

He was 72 years old. His longtime agent, Linda Kremer, said that he was surrounded by friends and family when he died at a hospice in his home town.

She said Shane "always maintained his sense of humor, never stinted on the time he gave his fans."

On "Hi-de-Hi!" he earned a BAFTA for Best Comedy Series in 1984. The show ran from 1980 to 1988, according to the Mirror.

He was also on the cast of British shows "You Rang M'Lord" and "Oh, Dr. Beeching!". He made several cameo appearances on other shows.

Several fellow British actors have mourned his death on Twitter, including Ricky Gervais. He is survived by his three children. His wife passed in 2001.