This article is more than 8 years old

This article is more than 8 years old

Sir Jimmy Savile, best known for his TV series Jim'll Fix It, has died at his home in Leeds.

The veteran broadcaster and charity campaigner, known for his penchant for lurid tracksuits, chunky gold jewellery, tinted glasses and cigars, was 84. He would have celebrated his 85th birthday on Monday.

Police were called to his home in Roundhay, Leeds, at 12.10pm on Saturday, where they discovered his body. His death is not being treated as suspicious.

He was admitted to hospital suffering from a bout of pneumonia in September.

Born in Leeds in 1926, the youngest of seven children, Savile enjoyed a long and colourful career in showbusiness, which included dancehall manager, Britain's first celebrity DJ, book reviewer and Top of the Pops presenter. He was also a Mensa member, marathon runner, cycle racer, miner and wrestler.

The white-maned star presented the first episode of Top Of The Pops, but he was most widely known as the fixer of childhood dreams through his 1970s TV show. Thousands of children wrote to him in the hope of having their wishes granted.

His catchphrases, including "Howzabout that then" and "Now then, now then..." were parodied by impressionists.

Savile was knighted for his services to charity, having raised £40m for good causes, including £12m to help create a spinal injuries unit at Stoke Mandeville hospital in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire.,

He was also a staunch supporter of Margaret Thatcher and claimed he spent 11 successive New Years with the former prime minister at Chequers.

BBC director general, Mark Thompson, said: "I am very sad to hear of Sir Jimmy Savile's death.

"From Top of the Pops to Jim'll Fix It, Jimmy's unique style entertained generations of BBC audiences. Like millions of viewers and listeners we shall miss him greatly."

Former colleague Dave Lee Travis told Sky News Savile was a "larger-than-life" character. "We are all going to be worse off without him around," he said.

Radio presenter David Hamilton paid tribute to Savile's "tireless" work raising money for charity. "He was a very energetic character," Hamilton told Sky News. "But most of all, I remember him as just a totally flamboyant, over-the-top, larger-than-life character and as he was on the air, he was just the same off."

Broadcaster Stuart Hall told BBC Radio 5 Live Savile was "unique" but "a loner". "He had lots of imitators, the one and only Jimmy Savile."

Former radio colleague Tony Blackburn remembered Savile's "big, over-the-top personality". "He was quite a character," Blackburn told Sky News. "I think he will be best remembered for his charity work and, you know, those tracksuits he always used to wear, and he was just an unusual person.

"He was a one-off, that's the way he'll be remembered, really. But in particular all that money he raised for charity."

A spokeswoman for Buckinghamshire healthcare NHS trust, which runs Stoke Mandeville Hospital, said: "We are incredibly saddened to learn that Sir Jimmy Savile has passed away. Sir Jimmy has been a great supporter of Stoke Mandeville Hospital for a number of decades. He was tireless in his attempts to fundraise for the hospital and was integral in the creation of the National Spinal Injuries Centre that we have today.

"Sir Jimmy will be sorely missed by staff and patients alike."