Sesame Street's Bob McGrath has died at the age of 90.
The actor was one of the original human stars of the hit show and was a longtime staple on the show.
His death was confirmed by a family statement on his official Facebook page, which said he died peacefully at his home.
Alongside an image of Bob with the dates 1932-2022, the statement read: "Hello Facebook friends, the McGrath family has some sad news to share. Our father Bob McGrath, passed away today.
"He died peacefully at home, surrounded by his family."
Bob was a part of the kids' TV show for over four decades after first featuring on the show's pilot in 1969. He went on to feature in a further 47 seasons. His final episode on the show was an episode titled Having a Ball which aired in 2017.
Image:
Getty Images for HBO)Despite stopping appearing in front of the camera, Bob's work on the show continued behind the scenes with the Sesame Workshop, which would see him appear at public events for the franchise.
One of his mean feats on the show was bringing a musical element to it, providing original songs such as People in Your Neighbourhood, Sing a Song, and If You're Happy And You Know It. He even brought the Sesame Street theme tune.
Following the news of his death, fans of the franchise quickly took to social media to share messages of condolence.
Image:
Bettmann Archive)Image:
Getty Images)On Twitter, actress Holly Robinson Peete, who met Bob back in 1969 when her dad starred on the show, wrote: "He was the nicest, sweetest, kindest man. My brother and I got to be in this scene with him… Rest in peace , Bob McGrath. You were so loved all over the world Say hello to my pops."
In a follow-up tweet, she wrote: "The Day Ones of Sesame Street. My heart is broken that we’ve lost Bob McGrath... Rest In Peace, Bob!
"…Joining Will Lee ( Mr Hooper) & Daddy ( Gordon) in Sesame Street Heaven where the air is sweet… love you, Loretta (Susan)."
Image:
Getty Images)Screenwriter Brian Lynch also penned: "Thank you for everything, Bob McGrath. Rest in Peace."
And a fanpage wrote: "We are very saddened to hear the news of beloved Sesame Street cast member Bob McGrath’s passing. Expect more remembrances on the site this week, but for now we want to say he definitely left the world a better place than he found it. Condolences to his family. We love you, Bob."
Bob is survived by his wife, Ann, their three children and five grandchildren.
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