Australian poet, author and broadcaster Clive James has died at the age of 80.

One of Australia’s greatest exports, James lived and worked in the United Kingdom since the early 1960s.

He was diagnosed with leukaemia about 10 years ago.

In a statement released overnight, his family said James died at his Cambridge home on Sunday and a funeral was held Wednesday.

They said he died “knowing until the last moment that he had experienced more than his fair share of this ‘great, good world’”.

Channel 10 entertainment editor Angela Bishop tells Steve Price he never expected to become the star he did.

“Clive holds a very unique and a very special place.

“He became a television star, which he said was never what he should’ve been. He’s always been a writer.

“When he got sick ten years ago and was told it was terminal at that point in time, he just went back to writing and he said he’s never been a better writer than he was.

“He was somewhat embarrassed about the fact that he stayed alive for so long as the drug treatments improved.”

Click PLAY below to hear the full interview

Image: Getty/Jeff Overs – BBC News & Current Affairs