At first, aghast fans were pleading for someone to confirm that the shock news was just an awful hoax.
But within minutes of the news breaking today, a spokesperson has confirmed that David Bowie – born David Robert Jones in 1947 – has passed away.
In a statement, his family have asked for privacy as they grieve, however his son Duncan Jones also shared a touching tribute on social media.
“Very sorry and very sad to say it’s true,” he posted on Twitter, accompanied by a black and white photograph of the pair when Duncan was just a baby.
“I’ll be offline for a while. Love to all.”
David as his alter-ego, Ziggy Stardust.
David’s ground-breaking career as a singer, songwriter, producer and artist spanned 40 years.
He was most notable during the glam-rock era of the 1970s and ’80s, during which his androgynous alter-ego Ziggy Stardust became the stuff of legends.
He was famous for his androgynous style.
Just three days ago, the Changes singer released his 25th album Blackstar – it was also his 69th birthday.
David, who had been married to Somali-American supermodel Iman since 1992, will be remembered for bringing the world iconic songs such as Fame, Under Pressure, and All The Young Dudes.
But to Duncan, 44, and his younger half-sister, 15-year-old Alexandria Zahra Jones, he will always be Dad.
David with his son, movie director Duncan Jones, at the Sundance Film Festival in 2009.
“David died peacefully today surrounded by his family after a courageous 18-month battle with cancer,” the family said in a statement released a short time ago.
“While many of you will share in this loss, we ask that you respect the family’s privacy during their time of grief.”
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