Iconic guitarist and Game of Thrones star Wilko Johnson has died aged 75 a statement on an official Facebook page for the musician said.
The musician found fame with the 1970s pub-rock band Dr Feelgood. He later played with Ian Dury and also had a successful career with his group The Wilko Johnson Band.
In 2014, he collaborated with The Who's Roger Daltrey on an album called Going Back Home.
He also starred in two series of Game Of Thrones as the mute executioner Ser Ilyn Payne.
A statement on Facebook said: "This is the announcement we never wanted to make, and we do so, on behalf of Wilko's family and the band, with a very heavy heart:
"Wilko Johnson has died. He passed away at home on Monday evening, 21st November 2022.
"Thank you for respecting Wilko’s family’s privacy at this very sad time, and thank you all for having been such a tremendous support throughout Wilko’s incredible life. RIP Wilko Johnson."
Johnson was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer ten years ago but decided against having chemotherapy so that he could go on tour one last time.
Speaking to the BBC at the time he said: "The decision was quite easy - chemotherapy could do no more than extend my life for a relatively short period and I thought I'd just rather enjoy the health that was left to me."
A year later Johnson had a 3kg tumour removed during an 11-hour operation and was declared cancer free.
He played his final live gig last month at London's Shepherd's Bush Empire on 18 October.
Born on Canvey Island in Essex in 1947, he recalled in his autobiography that he had a tough childhood and at aged 16, he was elated to come home from school one day to find his dad had died.
In the book, he also said he found joy in literature but, after realising he was never going to cut it as a poet, he discovered music.
He graduated from Newcastle University before travelling around India, then returned to Essex to work as an English teacher.
Not long after, he formed Dr Feelgood, hugely influential pub-rock pioneers who paved the way for punk.
Source: Press Association
