His wife announced the US-born actor died aged 80 on Thursday, surrounded by his family.

Soul played Detective Kenneth "Hutch" Hutchinson alongside Paul Michael Glaser's Detective David Starsky in the hit crime-solving series, which ran for 92 episodes from 1975 to 1979.

The TV show grew so popular it spawned a host of children's toys.

Soul's wife Helen Snell said the "beloved husband, father, grandfather and brother... died yesterday after a valiant battle for life in the loving company of family".

"He shared many extraordinary gifts in the world as actor, singer, storyteller, creative artist and dear friend.

"His smile, laughter and passion for life will be remembered by the many whose lives he has touched."

As well as Starsky & Hutch, Soul was also known for his roles in TV show Here Come The Brides from 1968 to 1970, and hit Hollywood film Magnum Force in 1973.

He and Glaser reprised their roles in the 2004 remake Starsky & Hutch, starring Ben Stiller as Starsky and Owen Wilson as Hutch.

Soul was born David Richard Solberg in Chicago on 28 August 1943 and spent his childhood between South Dakota and post-Second World War Berlin.

He acted in Star Trek in 1967, and Johnny Got His Gun in 1971.

He got his break as officer John Davis in Clint Eastwood's police movie Magnum Force, which led to a part in Starsky & Hutch.

At the height of his fame in 1977, Soul also had success as a singer, twice reaching number one in the UK charts with his songs Don't Give Up on Us and Silver Lady.

Soul, who was a dual US and UK citizen, had lived in Britain for many years, and performed in several stage roles.

In 2001, he won a libel case against a Mirror journalist who called The Dead Monkey, a play that Soul was in, the worst production he had ever seen - without having seen it.

Soul also played the titular talk show host in Jerry Springer - The Opera in London's West End.