Derek Acorah has died at the age of 69, his devastated wife Gwen has announced.

The self-styled spiritual medium, who starred in Celebrity Big Brother and the Most Haunted series, died last night from sepsis brought on by pneumonia,

He had been treated in intensive care following a "brief illness", after complaining about suffering from "awful flu" 48 hours before his death.

In a Facebook tribute, Gwen wrote: "Farewell my love! I will miss you forever! I’m devastated to announce that my beloved husband Derek has passed away after a very brief illness.

"Thank you so much to everybody who has supported me - I can never thank you enough."

(Image: Julian Hamilton/Daily Mirror)

In her statement, his wife of 24 years also took aim at a "vile couple" who "hounded" her husband during his dying hours.

She wrote: "To the vile couple who hounded him for responses to their ridiculous campaign whilst he was in Intensive Care in a coma, I hope you have the decency to hang your heads in shame.

"I have things to deal with now but I won’t forget nor will I forgive what you have done!"

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She later confirmed he had fallen into the coma after contracted sepsis, an infection of the blood that can lead to organ failure.

"He was taken really quickly. It was pneumonia which got him in the end," Gwen told the Sun.

"He developed sepsis and was in intensive care. I'm heartbroken to have lost him.

"It's devastating that's he's gone."

Derek's last Facebook post written on Wednesday referred to the nasty flu bug both he and Gwen were suffering from in the days before his death.

"Good morning everybody and I hope you've all had a spectacular celebration bringing in the new year and the new decade. I spent the time quietly at home with Gwen as we've both had the awful flu bug which has brought us down so low, hence the reason for my lack of live presence on facebook.

"I hope to be back within the next couple of days when I will be giving messages from spirit for the new year. Have a wonderful day everybody and much love to you all! X," he'd added.

(Image: PA)

Fans and friends have been paying tribute, including his co-star Tessa Dunlop, who fronted Paranormal Egypt with him.

"I'm gutted to hear that #DerekAcorah has died," she tweeted.

"The most fun I ever had making TV was in Egypt with Derek. Memories of midnight efforts to channel Pharoh Khufu in the Great Pyramid stand alone RIP you wonderful generous man. All thoughts with your lovely family."

His CBB housemate Jordan Davies added: "So sad to hear about @derek_acorah I was lucky enough to have been able to share my CBB experience with him. He was like a father figure to me in there & he’s one of the nicest men I've ever met. R.I.P Derek my thoughts go out to his family."

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CBBBOTS presenter Rylan Clark-Neal wrote: "Sad news about Derek Achorah This morning. A very lovely man to speak to and a great housemate. RIP."

While Paul Danan tweeted: "So sad to hear this Terrible news this morning that my good friend who I met on #CBB2017 has passed away. Love you my brother! Thanks for being such a beautiful soul who was always there for me. #RIPDerekAcorah P.D Xxx."

Derek's fellow paranormal investigator Jimmy Devlin wrote an emotional tribute to his friend.

"From our first day together, I always stood by your side, till our last day," he tweeted.

"I feel so honoured, privileged and so blessed to have been part of yours and your family's lives for so many years, but most of all to have been your friend.I will never, ever forget you @derek_acorah."

Astrologer Russell Grant wrote: "Very sad news this morning."

And Amelia Lily, who also appeared alongside him in CBB, told Derek on Instagram: "I've woke up this morning to hear that the lovely Derek Acorah has sadly passed away.

(Image: Instagram)

"I feel very sad to hear this tragic news. I had the privilege of knowing Derek and living and getting to know him for an entire month in CBB. You always looked out for me Derek and I’ll forever be grateful for that. I really hope you can rest in peace now, you’ll always be in heart, love Amelia."

Derek's former Most Haunted co-stars yvette Fielding and Dr Karl Beattie told Mirror Online: “Our condolences are with Derek’s family at this time. Yvette and Karl."

Karl added on Twitter: "Our condolences go out to Derek’s family at this time."

Derek was born in Bootle, Merseyside, in January 1950.

He shot to fame on Most Haunted and also went on to present Derek Acorah's Ghost Towns.

In November 2009, Acorah featured in Michael Jackson: The Search for His Spirit and attempted to contact the late singer's ghost.

He also once claimed to have received a message from Madeleine McCann through a spirit guide, before apologising to her parents after mass outrage.

Derek went onto appear in the 20th series of Celebrity Big Brother in 2017. He finished fourth in the series.

(Image: Daily Mirror)

(Image: ExpressStar)

Before finding fame as a medium, Derek tried his hand as a professional footballer with Liverpool FC but was released by manager Bill Shankly before ever playing a first-team game.

He went on to play in Australia before making his first TV appearance in 1996 with Granada, going on to appear on Psychic Livetime.

(Image: Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images)

His greatest fame came from the six-year Most Haunted series with Yvette Fielding - in which he was contacted by 'spirits'.

Despite scepticism, he always insisted the show contained "no acting".

However, the co-stars fell out when Yvette revealed Derek had fallen for a trick and accused him of being 'fake'.

in response, Derek branded her "egotistical" and insisted he was the real deal.

Derek also revealed he had a ghostly guide named Sam who helped him through his life decisions.

He claimed to have first met Sam in a previous life, when he was an Ethiopian boy.

(Image: C5)

Derek told the Nottingham Post : "I first met my spirit guide, Sam, in a previous lifetime when I was an Ethiopian boy and Sam was a friend of the family. This is about 2,038 years ago.

"Sam was an oracle with psychic powers who travelled from village to village. When my village was attacked by some marauding invaders, I heard the screaming and I scampered away. When it settled, I crawled back to find my family had been massacred. Two days and nights passed before Sam arrived and shouted my name out.

"From then on, I travelled with him."

In this life, Derek said he was introduced to Sam by his grandmother when he was a child.

She was working as a medium.

He then realised they'd already met after a series of vivid dreams and flashbacks.

Sam protected Derek from evil spirits and oversaw his dealings with friendly ones, he said.

And although Sam could easily tell Derek next week's lottery numbers, the medium insisted he would never abuse Sam's guidance like that.