S actress Kirsty Alley died of cancer at the age of 71, according to her family.
A statement posted through her official social media accounts described her as an “incredible, fierce and loving mother”.
Alley was surrounded by her close relatives, the statement said.
As iconic as she was on screen, she was an even more amazing mother and grandmother
She was best known for her breakout role as Rebecca Howe on the NBC sitcom Cheers from 1987 to 1993, receiving both a Emmy award and a golden Globe for the role in 1991.
In 2018, she took part in the 22nd series of UK Celebrity Big Brother, finishing second.
“As iconic as she was on screen, she was an even greater mother and grandmother,” the statement read.
“To all our friends, around the world… We are sorry to inform you that our incredible, fierce and loving mother passed away after a battle with cancer, which was only recently discovered,” the statement read.
“She was surrounded by her immediate family and fought with great strength, giving us the assurance of her never-ending joy in life and whatever adventures lie ahead.
The family statement went on to thank the “incredible” team of doctors and nurses at Moffitt Cancer Center, Florida, for their care.
“The zest for life and passion of our mother, her children, grandchildren and her many animals, not to mention her eternal joy to create, were unparalleled and inspired us to live life to the fullest, just as she did” , it continued.
“We thank you for your love and prayers and ask that you respect our privacy at this difficult time.”
In addition to starring in Cheers, Alley appeared in several films in the 1980s and 1990s.
These include the 1989 romantic comedy film Look Who’s Talking, in which she co-starred with John Travolta.
The pair reprized their roles for the two movie sequels Look Who’s Talking Too (1990) and and Look Who’s Talking Now (1993).
In an online tribute, Travolta said his time with Alley was “one of the most special relationships I’ve ever had”.
Travolta shared a photo of the pair together on Instagram, writing, “Kirstie was one of the most special relationships I’ve ever had.
“I love you Kristy. I know we will see each other again.”
Alley’s other film roles included Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982), Summer School (1987) Sibling Rivalry (1990), It Takes Two (1995), Village Of The Damned (1995) For Richer or Poorer (1997), Drop Dead Beautiful (1999).
Horror director Jan Carpenter described Alley as a “delightful actress”.
“Kirstie Alley was a wonderful actress who I had the pleasure of working with on VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED. She will be missed,” he wrote.
Alley co-starred with Christopher Reeve, Linda Kozlowski, Michael Pare and Mark Hamill in the 1995 American science fiction horror film.
She won her second Emmy Award in 1994 for the television movie David’s Mother and received another Emmy nomination in 1997 for her work in the crime drama series The Last Don.
She earned further Emmy and Golden Globe nominations as the titular star of Veronica’s closet, which ran from 1997 to 2000, and played a fictionalized version of herself on Fat Actress in 2005.
In 2016, she additionally appeared in the Fox comedy-horror series Scream Queens Jamie Lee Curtis.
Lee Curtis, who co-starred with Alley in the comedy horror series Scream Queens, said the pair had a “mutual respect and connection”.
“Just heard the sad news that Kirstie Alley has passed away,” the actress wrote as she shared a photo of them together.
“She was a great comedic foil in Scream Queens and a beautiful mama bear in her real life. She helped me buy rompers for my family for Christmas that year.
“We agreed that we disagreed on some things, but we had mutual respect and a connection. Sad news.”
She also made several appearances on reality television, first as a contestant on the 12th season of Dancing with the Stars where she came in second place.
During her stint on Big Brother, she shared the house with other famous faces, including Coronation Street star Ryan Thomas and Dan Osbourne of The Only Way Is Essex, who finished first and third respectively.