Tributes and condolences have been pouring in from around the world following the death of David Bowie, which was announced early on Monday morning (January 11th).

The extent of Bowie’s illness was unknown to all but a select few, and the announcement of his passing at the age of 69 has come as a great shock to many, particularly as he had only released his 25th album Blackstar three days previously.

David BowieDavid Bowie, 1947-2016

Among the high profile names from the world of entertainment to share their reactions with the world have been Madonna, who remembers Bowie as one of her key inspirations and one of the first gigs she ever saw.

“I’m devastated,” she wrote in a Facebook post. “David Bowie changed the course of my life forever. I never felt like I fit in growing up in Michigan. Like an oddball or a freak. I went to see him in concert at Cobo Arena in Detroit. It was the first concert I’d ever been too.”

I'm devastated.David Bowie changed the course of my life forever. I never felt like I fit in growing up in Michigan....

Posted by Madonna on Monday, 11 January 2016

Celebrated producer Brian Eno, who worked with Bowie on his famous ‘Berlin trilogy’ of albums between 1977 and 1979 and also on 1994’s challenging Outside, made a statement via BBC News that the pair had recently been making plans to work together once again, and that they had corresponded as recently as a week ago.

“David's death came as a complete surprise, as did nearly everything else about him. I feel a huge gap now. We knew each other for over 40 years, in a friendship that was always tinged by echoes of [comic characters] Pete and Dud.”

“I received an email from him seven days ago. It was as funny as always, and as surreal, looping through word games and allusions and all the usual stuff we did. It ended with this sentence: 'Thank you for our good times, Brian. they will never rot'. And it was signed 'Dawn'. I realise now he was saying goodbye.”

More: David Bowie’s greatest musical collaborations - video

Former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney posted: “Very sad news to wake up to on this raining morning. David was a great star and I treasure the moments we had together. His music played a very strong part in British musical history and I’m proud to think of the huge influence he has had on people all around the world.”

“I send my deepest sympathies to his family and will always remember the great laughs we had through the years. His star will shine in the sky forever.”

Sir Mick Jagger, of the Rolling Stones and a former collaborator of Bowie on the 1985 worldwide Number 1 hit ‘Dancing In the Street’, wrote: “David was always an inspiration to me and a true original. He was wonderfully shameless in his work. We had so many good times together. He was my friend, I will never forget him.”

More: David Bowie – ‘Blackstar’ [album review]