Alvin Stardust has died after suffering a short illness, his manager has confirmed.
The singer, 72, passed away at his home surrounded by family.
He had recently been diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer.
Born as Bernard William Jewry in Muswell Hill, London the English pop singer and stage actor was best known for the singles he released throughout the Seventies and Eighties.
These included “My Coo Ca Choo”, “Jealous Minds” and “Feel Like Buddy Holly”.
Stardust - then still known as Bernard William Jewry - made his musical debut in the early Sixties in unknown teen band Shane Fenton and the Fentones.
They posted a demo tape of their music to the BBC with the hope that it would be picked up by a producer and that they could appear on a music show.
However, as they awaited a reply from the broadcaster, Shane Fenton, the lead singer, died of rheumatic fever.
The band broke up, then unexpectedly received the letter they had been waiting for from the BBC asking them to come to London and audition for the programme in person.
Stardust (then Jewry) was a roadie for the group and was asked to become “the new Shane Fenton”.
They went on to enjoy a handful of hits in the UK Charts, including “I’m A Moody Guy”, “Cindy’s Birthday” and “It’s All Over Now”, released via Parlophone records.
They eventually parted ways, and Jewry disappeared from the music industry for almost a decade before he emerged in the early Seventies with a brand new persona – Alvin Stardust – a glam pop rocker who looked not unlike Elvis in a Halloween costume.
