Estelle Getty dies, aged 84

Estelle Getty has died at the age of 84.

The veteran actress - best known for her role as sarcastic Sicilian Sophia in sitcom The Golden Girls - was suffering from advanced dementia.

Her son Carl Gettleman confirmed that she died at around 5.30am PT (1.30pm UK) at her home in Hollywood, three days before her 85th birthday.

"She was loved throughout the world in six continents, and if they loved sitcoms in Antarctica she would have been loved on seven continents," Gettleman said in a statement. "She was one of the most talented comedic actresses who ever lived."

As well as her role in Golden Girls, which ran from 1985 to 1992, Getty appeared in Stop or My Mum Will Shoot alongside Sylvester Stallone, Mask, Stuart Little and Mannequin.

> Click here for an in-pictures look at her life