The much-loved British comedian and musician Neil Innes, who collaborated with Monty Python and played with The Rutles, has died aged 75.
His death was unexpected and he had not been ill, his agent Nigel Morton told the PA news agency.
In a statement, the family of Neil Innes said: "It is with deep sorrow and great sadness that we have to announce the death of Neil James Innes on 29th December 2019.
"We have lost a beautiful kind, gentle soul whose music and songs touched the heart of everyone and whose intellect and search for truth inspired us all.
"He died of natural causes quickly without warning and, I think, without pain.
"His wife Yvonne and their three sons Miles, Luke and Barney and three grandchildren Max Issy and Zac give thanks for his life, for his music and for the joy he gave us all."
The writer performed and penned songs and sketches for the Pythons' final TV series in 1974 after John Cleese temporarily left. He also wrote songs for Monty Python And The Holy Grail.
Innes was a frequent collaborator with the comedy group and toured the UK and Canada with them.
He was only one of two non-Pythons to be credited as a writer for the TV series, alongside Douglas Adams.
Innes was also a member of the cult group The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band, whose song I'm The Urban Spaceman won him an Ivor Novello award.
He penned the song Death Cab For Cutie, which inspired an American band of the same name, and was used in The Beatles' 1967 film Magical Mystery Tour, and starred in the TV series The Innes Book Of Records.
He also appeared in Monty Python's Life Of Brian and Terry Gilliam's Jabberwocky before joining with Eric Idle on the sketch show Rutland Weekend Television, about a fictional low-budget regional TV station.
This show spawned The Rutles, a superb and very smart spoof of the Beatles, in which Innes played the character of Ron Nasty, who was based on John Lennon. The band was fondly referred to as The Pre Fab Four.
A mockumentary television film All You Need Is Cash followed in 1978. Former Beatle George Harrison appeared in the film and also assisted in its creation.
Here are The Rutles - with Neil Innes on lead vocals and Eric Idle on bass - performing I Must Be in Love:
