British magician Paul Daniels has passed away in his sleep at the age of 77, having earlier in the year been diagnosed with an operable brain tumour. While the family were not informed about how long he had left upon the diagnosis, it is not thought that he had been suffering a great deal before his death.

Paul Daniels and Debbie McGeePaul Daniels leaves behind wife Debbie McGee

Daniels returned to his home in Berkshire after spending time in hospital in February, following what the family thought was a stroke. Once doctors informed him and his family that it was, in fact, terminal brain cancer, he chose to spend the rest of his days surrounded by family at home. 

'There's no treatment which can help him. Doctor's haven't said how many weeks or months he might have - and we haven't asked', son Martin told the Mirror at the time. 'He knows things are not in his hands now and we are living in the knowledge every day is a bonus. It is unbearably difficult. He has said before when 'it's your time it's your time' and that's how he is trying to face up to things.'

More: Paul Daniels is diagnosed with a brain tumour

Sadly, Paul's other son Gary confirmed that he had finally lost his battle. 'It is with incredible sadness that I can confirm that Dad, Paul Daniels, passed away over night', he wrote on Twitter today (March 17th 2016), accompanied by an image of a white rabbit in a top hat shedding a tear and clutching an ace of hearts with the heart tragically broken.

Daniels was one of the UK's best known entertainers, having risen to international acclaim on the BBC TV series 'The Paul Daniels Magic Show', which aired between 1979 and 1994. With his death he leaves behind not only his two sons Martin and Gary, but also his other son Paul, and his wife and long-term glamorous assistant Debbie McGee.