Star Wars icon Tom Kane died in hospital surrounded by family on Monday at the age of 64. No further details of his death were shared, but it is known that Kane died in hospital, surrounded by his family. His talent agency Galactic Productions confirmed the news in a Facebook post. Alongside an image of the star with a Yoda toy, they wrote: "Today we say goodbye to Tom Kane - a legendary voice actor whose work shaped the childhoods and imaginations of millions around the world.

"From his unforgettable performances in Star Wars to countless animated series, documentaries, and games, Tom brought wisdom, strength, humor, and heart to every role he touched. His voice became part of our lives, our memories, and the stories we carry with us. But beyond the incredible career was an extraordinary man. Tom was a devoted husband and father who, alongside his wife, built a loving family of nine children - three biological and six welcomed through adoption and fostering.That compassion and generosity defined who he was just as much as his remarkable talent did. Though his voice may now be silent, the characters, stories, and love he gave to the world will live on forever. Rest in peace, Tom Kane. Thank you for everything," they concluded.

Amongst the voice actors best known roles were Jedi Master Yoda and Admiral Yularen in Star Wars: The Clone Wars feature film and TV series, The Chancellor in 9, Magneto in Wolverine and the X-Men, Lord Monkey Fist in Kim Possible, Professor Utonium and HIM in The Powerpuff Girls, Oxnard Montalvo in The Angry Beavers, and Darwin in The Wild Thornberrys.

The star has suffered a debilitating stroke in November 2020 which had forced him into early retirement. His daughter had kept fans updated about his condition on Facebook. In December 2020 she explained he'd suffered "a left-sided stroke that gave him right-sided weakness and damage to the speech centre of his brain".

"My dad still remains in good spirits, and his extreme stubbornness has helped him already show improvements in speech," she added.

However in September 2021, she confirmed he had decided to officially enter an early retirement from voice acting due to the stroke. Despite this he recently attended a fan convention where he was reunited with the actresses who voiced the Powerpuff Girls. His final Instagram post showed him posing alongside them. He captioned it: "Reunited with my girls!!'"

Tributes flooded in from fans as they learnt the news. One wrote on Facebook: "Rest In Peace Tom Kane I enjoyed your role as Prof. Utonium from the original PowerPuff Girls as well as Jedi Master Yoda from Star Wars The Clone Wars plus other roles May The Force Be With You." Antoehr added: "No way... he was one of my favorite va's too. I loved when he played Magneto and Yoda."

A third chimed in: "RIP Tom Kane. This is just devastating news. He was just at a convention reunited with the Powerpuff Girls. He looked so happy and genuinely pleased at the love. To hear he's gone now... it's just heartbreaking."

A fourth shared: "He's one of the greatest voice actors of my childhood, and he always will be. Godspeed Professor." A fifth recalled: "This is a sad one for me. I remember waiting a couple hours one summer years back just to meet him!"

Meanwhile a sixth lamented: "A terrific voice actor, one of the absolute greats. It's such a shame he wasn't able to live longer and more heartbreaking after that reuniting with the PPGs. We'll miss you deeply Tom."