ENGLISH actor and five-time Oscar nominee Albert Finney has died aged 82 following a short illness.
The stage and screen star began his career at the Royal Shakespeare Company before enjoying a wildly successful career in film.
He was best-known for his roles in Tom Jones (1963), Murder On The Orient Express (1974) and Erin Brockovich (2000) as well as the 007 thriller Skyfall (2012) in more recent times.
Finney's other memorable roles included Daddy Warbucks in Annie (1982) and Winston Churchill in The Gathering Storm (2002) – for which he won a Golden Globe and a BAFTA.
We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Albert Finney. The recipient of the BAFTA Fellowship in 2001, Finney will be warmly remembered for his powerful performances in Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, Tom Jones, Big Fish and many more. pic.twitter.com/SwuaV84cGE
— BAFTA (@BAFTA) 8 February 2019
A statement from his family read: "Albert Finney, aged 82, passed away peacefully after a short illness with those closest to him by his side.
"The family request privacy at this sad time."
Finney was nominated for Academy Awards four times in the Best Actor category and once in the Best Supporting Actor category.
The Salford native won two BAFTA Awards from 13 nominations overall and received a British Academy Fellowship in 2001.
A RADA graduate, he continued working on stage despite his film success – earning Tony nominations on Broadway for Luther and A Day in the Death of Joe Egg.
He won an Olivier Award for Orphans and was part of the original three-man cast of Art.
