Actress Kirstie Alley has died after a battle with cancer aged 71. Photo: Supplied
Actress Kirstie Alley, arguably best known for her role in US sitcom Cheers, has died after a battle with cancer aged 71.
After shooting to fame in the TV hit of the 1980s, a comedy based in a Boston bar where she played character Rebecca How, Alley went on to star in movies like Village of the Damned, Look Who's Talking, Star Trek II and Madhouse.
Alley received an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe in 1991 for her role in Cheers, which she starred in from 1987 to 1993.
Alley also featured in another popular sitcom, Veronica's Closet, bringing her more Emmy and Golden Globe nominations.
Alley's children True and Lillie Parker confirmed her death on her Instagram page today. They said the cancer had been recently discovered.
"We are sad to inform you that our incredible, fierce and loving mother has passed away after a battle with cancer," they said.
"She was surrounded by her closest family and fought with great strength, leaving us with a certainty of her never-ending joy of living and whatever adventures lie ahead. As iconic as she was on screen, she was an even more amazing mother and grandmother."
They praised the medical staff at Moffitt Cancer Centre for the care given to their mother.
"Our mother's zest and passion for life, her children, grandchildren and her many animals, not to mention her eternal joy of creating, were unparalleled and leave us inspired to live life to the fullest just as she did," they added.