John Forgeham, star of the 1969 version of The Italian Job and the hit ITV series Footballers' Wives , has died at the age of 75.

The actor is reported to have broken his collarbone after a fall at home and was later taken to hospital with internal bleeding, where he later died.

His daughter Jonesta confirmed the news in a statement, saying his death still felt "very raw" as it came so suddenly.

"Dad was a very talented actor and a charismatic and wonderful man," she said (via the Mirror ).

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"We had a close relationship and I was the person who looked after him. He would want to be remembered as this wonderful actor. He lived and breathed acting.

"It is still very raw. It is a shock because he died suddenly. We're all in shock. He had a fall on Wednesday night and called me on Friday morning to say he wasn't very well.

"He was rushed to hospital and he had some sort of burst inside – something ruptured. There was blood everywhere."

After winning a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Forgeham's career spanned 50 years, including roles in movies such as The Partner (1963) and as Frank in the original Italian Job in 1969, as well as a number of TV roles, including as Saxon Wells in Catwalk and Jim Baines in Crossroads

More recently, Forgeham was known for his role as Frank Laslett in the ITV's Footballers' Wives while he's also appeared in dramas such as Doctors , The Bill and Casualty .

Co-workers, friends and fans have been paying tribute to the star today (March 11), calling him a "larger-than-life character" and a "wonderful man".

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