Des O'Connor's daughter Kristina has issued a statement following her father's death over the weekend.

The entertainment legend died peacefully in his sleep at the age of 88 in hospital following a fall at his home a week earlier.

O'Connor had four daughters from previous marriages as well as a teenage son by his widow Jodie Brooke Wilson, and now his youngest daughter Kristina - an aspiring singer - has paid an emotional tribute to him on social media.

"It is impossible for me to adequately explain how heartbroken I am, but I wanted to say something of his last moments together (covid-safely), just the two of us, and to say what we needed to say to one another," she wrote.

"I told him about the deep feeling of pride in my belly whenever somebody points out how similar we are, both as performers and as people. He told me that I was going to make him cry if I carried on talking like that (as he dabbed at his eye). The other things we said were just for us.

"It wasn't always easy to share my Dad with the rest of the world. Sometimes I just wanted him all to myself. But, after witnessing such an overwhelming outpouring of love and warmth in tributes, being able to share him now feels, itself, like one more gift.

"There's so much more that I want to say, but maybe I can't find the words. But thank you all for sharing your thoughts, your condolences, and your favourite moments from his career.

"I'm discovering old clips and photos that I've never seen before and it brings me comfort. Even now, the saddest I have ever felt, Daddy can still make me laugh."

O'Connor's former Countdown co-star Carol Vorderman has also paid tribute to the star, describing him as "a joy to work with" and "the King".