John Thaw dies at 60

The acting world was today coming to terms with the loss of John Thaw after the Inspector Morse star lost his battle with cancer.

The 60-year-old, whose roles made him a "national treasure", died at his home yesterday, surrounded by his family.

Thaw was diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus last June but was so determined to beat it that he was discussing new projects as late as last week.

In a statement released through a family friend to PA News, his wife Sheila Hancock, 69,

said: "John died with his family around him.

"We have all been so grateful for the thousands of letters and messages from people wishing him well."

"Everyone including the media have been wonderful during this difficult period and I would like them all to know how much their support and understanding has meant to him and to all of us."

Thaw - who was made a CBE in 1993 - saw Ms Hancock herself fight back from breast cancer 13 years ago.

He had been nursed at the couple's home in Luckington, near Chippenham, Wiltshire, in recent days.

Leading the tributes was ITV's director of channels, David Liddiment, who said: "Throughout his distinguished career John understood the power of the small screen. He was the consummate television actor and caught the imagination of millions of viewers.

"He will be sorely missed. Our thoughts are with Sheila and his family."

Television producer Ted Childs had tea with the star and Ms Hancock on Wednesday last week and discussed the possibility of working on another episode of Kavanagh QC.

"John was as he has been throughout his illness - very positive, funny and self-effacing," said Mr Childs, who worked with Thaw for nearly 30 years on Morse, The Sweeney and other programmes.

"Even in recent weeks, when he clearly wasn't very well, he was anxious to get back to work and had a great sense of humour.

Thaw was "quite a private person" who shied away from the limelight despite the attention his immense success brought, Childs said.

"He wasn't somebody who was desperate for showbusiness recognition. He was very much a family man."

He added: "It is quite devastating, obviously for his family but also for those of us who knew him and worked with him over the years,"

Actress Sarah Lancashire, who starred with Thaw in ITV drama The Glass last year, said Thaw was a "national treasure" and would be "greatly missed".

The former Coronation Street star said: "It was a privilege to have worked with John but an even greater one to have known him, albeit briefly, as a friend."

Clive Jones, the chief executive of Carlton, which made Inspector Morse, Goodnight Mister Tom and Kavanagh QC, said Thaw was "one of the great actors of his generation".

"He was universally the viewers' choice," he said.

"He will be remembered for some outstanding theatre and television work, but most of all for setting new standards in television films with Inspector Morse."

Rada-trained Thaw landed his first film role in 1962 in the landmark movie The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner.

He was catapulted to stardom in 1974 as hardman DI Jack Regan in gritty cop series The Sweeney, and a spin-off movie landed the Evening Standard Best Film Actor of the Year Award in 1977.

Thaw, who also performed West End and Shakespearean stage roles, became known for building up solid characters such as Kavanagh and Morse.

He played Morse for 13 years before the gruff, opera-loving Oxford detective was finally killed off in 2000.

He has also performed in a number of short series such as Monsignor Renard and one-off dramas like Buried Treasure.

Thaw's family has been touched by cancer a number of times. His grandson Jack, six, was diagnosed with a brain tumour two years ago.

Ms Hancock - whom he married in 1973 - lost her first husband Alec Ross to the disease in 1971.