OJ Simpson has died aged 76

Former American footballer OJ Simpson has passed away at the age of 76.

The family of the NFL star released a statement on Thursday (11 April) afternoon announcing the news, explaining that he had cancer.

It read: "On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer.

"He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren. During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace."

Reports claim that the 76-year-old had been diagnosed with prostate cancer in February and had been undergoing treatment, although his loved ones did not comment on the details of his illness.

Simpson became a household name across the globe after he was charged with the murders of his former wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman in 1994.

OJ Simpson has died aged 76. (Jason Bean-Pool/Getty Images)

The tides turned drastically when the sportsman - who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985 and referred to as 'The Juice' - became the prime suspect in the double killing.

The pair were found dead at Nicole's home in Los Angeles and Simpson was later arrested and charged with their deaths.

Both the investigation and subsequent trial had many memorable moments, while legal whizzes including the likes of Robert Shapiro, Johnnie Cochran and Robert Kardashian represented him in court.

Between the chase in the white Bronco and 'if the glove doesn't fit, you must acquit', Simpson's legal troubles were international news and the events later went on to inspire a hit TV series titled The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story.

However, Simpson was eventually acquitted by a jury following one of the most-viewed judicial proceeding in American TV history.

Despite being found not guilty, in a civil lawsuit in 1997 Simpson was found liable for the 'wrongful deaths' of Goldman and Brown and ordered to pay Goldman's family $33.5 million (£26m) in damages.

Simpson was a star on the American football field before his personal life began dominating the headlines and played 11 seasons with the Buffalo Bills in New York, as well as a stint with the San Francisco 49ers.

He also enjoyed a prolific acting career in his younger years, appearing in the likes of The Klansman, The Towering Inferno, The Cassandra Crossing, and Capricorn One as well as commentating on football.

He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985. (Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

The news of the NFL star's passing comes just months after he denied claims that he was experiencing health troubles.

In a video shared to X on 9 February, Simpson was seen laughing as he sat behind the wheel of his car and reassured fans that he was not in a 'hospice' as some reports had alleged.

He said: "Hey X world! Hospice? Hospice? You talkin' bout hospice? No I'm not in any hospice, I don't know who put that out there.

"In any event, I'm hosting a ton of friends for the Super Bowl here in Las Vegas, all is well!"

However, in May last year Simpson had informed his social media followers that he had 'unfortunately caught cancer in recent years', although he did not mention any details about the nature of his illness.

He wrote: "So I had to do the whole chemo thing. I’m over the chemo... I’m healthy now. It looks like I beat it - I’m happy about that."

Simpson is survived by four children; Arnelle and Jason from his first marriage to Marguerite Whitley, and Sydney and Justin, from his marriage to Nicole Brown Simpson.