DAVID Baddiel announced tonight that his dad Colin has died.

The comedian and author, 57, shared the sad news on Instagram alongside a picture of his dad as a younger man with his three boys – David, Ivor and Dan.

He wrote: "My dad Colin Baddiel died earlier tonight. Thank so much to all of you who sent unbelievably lovely messages about him in response to all my posts over the years. He leaves a huge hole in my sky."

Tributes flooded in from celebrity friends and followers alike.

Vanessa Feltz commented: "David I am so sorry to hear your dad news. I wish you, Ivor and your youngest brother long life. Sending you condolences and warmest wishes."

Fay Ripley said: "Oh David I’m absolutely floored by this news. Your dad was always part of the conversation. I’m pretty sure he still will be. Sorry pal. To you and your brothers and family so much love. X."

While on Twitter, Piers Morgan shared: "So sorry to hear this, David. He seemed such a wonderful character and I loved your relationship. RIP Colin."

Colin spent years battling a rare form of dementia called Pick's Disease which affects parts of the brain that control emotions, behaviour, personality, and language.

In a 2017 Channel 4 documentary called The Trouble with Dad, David revealed how he stopped his children Dolly and Ezra, then aged 15 and 12, from visiting him because of his inappropriate remarks.

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He told The Radio Times: “The comedy of the documentary is that he was always unbelievably rude, sweary, antisocial, impatient, moody and sexually dis-inhibited, so it was very difficult to understand it as a disease.”

David, who made the programme with his brother Ivor to raise awareness over the condition, added: “He doesn’t understand who the kids are any more.

“He was never a cuddly grandpa. He doesn’t always know Ivor and me.

"He understands he has sons, and can recognise pictures of us from our teens, but he seems to think we should still look like that.”

Three Lions singer David's mum Sarah died in 2014. He performed a Stand Up To Cancer routine in tribute following her passing, channelling his grief into comedy.

He said last year: "When I did the show about my mum, a lot of it was stuff that people don’t normally talk about with a recently departed parent, her sex life mainly.

"Both my brothers asked if I had to do it and I said, 'You’re going to have to trust me that this comes from a place of love.'"

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