Actor and musician Wilko Johnson has died at the age of 75.
The Dr Feelgood legend's death was announced on his and his band's Twitter page on Wednesday (November 23). A statement read: "This is the announcement we never wanted to make, & we do so with a very heavy heart: Wilko Johnson has died. He passed away at home on Monday 21st November. Thank you for respecting the family's privacy at this very sad time. RIP Wilko Johnson."
The punk icon, who also appeared in hit TV series Game of Thrones, shot to fame in the 1970s with Dr Feelgood. Wilko, who was born as born John Peter Wilkinson, was known for his distinctive guitar playing style and played a part in the influence of the English punk movement.
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The former English teacher was also in band Ian Drury and the Blockheads before he formed his own band, the Wilko Johnson Band. He ventured into acting and made his on-screen debut as Ser Ilyn Payne in Game of Thrones in 2011.
Initially the punk icon appeared as a guest star but later returned to his role for the second season of the HBO series, and took part in two of the series' most memorable death scenes. HBO were forced to phase out Wilko's popular character due to his health, reports the Mirror.
Wilko was previously diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer in 2013 and was given just 10 months to live after he found a lump in his stomach. But in 2014, he went for a second opinion after a fan called Charlie Chan suggested he should.
Wilko previously told the Mirror : "Charlie started to wonder why I was still alive and not seriously ill."
And further tests showed the guitarist's pancreatic cancer was a neuroendocrine tumour – a rare and less aggressive malignancy. In April 2014, he underwent a nine hour operation to have his pancreas, spleen, part of his stomach and part of his small and large intestine removed at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge.
He later told fans he was cancer-free at the Q Awards in October 2014. After his operation and up until his death, the legendary punk guitarist continued to perform live.
His cause of death has not yet been disclosed.
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