BREAKING: Mary Tyler Moore has passed away

She was the face of a generation

RIP Mary Tyler Moore – the classic era queen of TV comedy – who has passed away aged 80.

Her rep has released the following statement:

‘Today, beloved icon, Mary Tyler Moore, passed away at the age of 80 in the company of friends and her loving husband of over 33 years, Dr. S. Robert Levine. A groundbreaking actress, producer, and passionate advocate for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Mary will be remembered as a fearless visionary who turned the world on with her smile.’

The star of the iconic Mary Tyler Moore Show was diagnosed with diabetes aged 33, and fought to raise awareness of the condition – which then held a stigma.

‘I thought I’d have to recline on a chaise the rest of my life,’ she said in 2009. She added that while ‘there have been challenges… I’ve triumphed.’