“We have never known TV without Bert – he was there from the beginning,” Mr Andrews said.

“From black and white to colour – as TV changed, Bert endured.

“But above all his achievements, he was a family man and his greatest partnership was with his wife of almost 50 years, Patti. Our thoughts and prayers are with her, their children and their grandchildren.”

Tributes are pouring in for the entertainer, who earlier this year underwent surgery to amputate part of his leg below the knee after an infection in his toe became life-threatening.

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Former Hey Hey It’s Saturday host Daryl Somers said the death of the TV pioneer was a “sad day for the entertainment industry”.

“I was very fortunate to witness his brilliance, firstly as a viewer, then first hand when I started my career at GTV9,” he said.

“You learn a lot from those who came before you and so in my case with Bert. He made people laugh over many decades and in my book you couldn’t leave a better legacy.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said there would never be another person like Bert Newton.

“Four Gold Logies, hosting the Logies on 20 occasions and entertaining Australians for over half a century,” Mr Morrison said.

“There was a familiarity that connected us to Bert, but it also connected us to each other. We could laugh together. That was his gift.

“Bert could give and take a joke. He could laugh at himself, I’m sure that’s what made Australians warm to him as much as we did.”

Mrs Newton said while their six grandchildren had been the impetus for Mr Newton to persevere through his recent health troubles, “he realised he just couldn’t do it anymore”.

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“His year was not only tough health-wise, but mentally he had a lot to cope with. I remember saying days ago how proud I was with him because I don’t actually know a lot of people in showbusiness who would cope with losing a leg, and having a few jokes about it,” she said.

Victorian government minister Jaala Pulford extended her condolences to the Newton family.

“This is such a sad time, particularly for all of us who grew up with his face – that beautiful smile, his voice in our lounge rooms throughout our childhoods, indeed decades-long presence, and a giant of our entertainment industry,” Ms Pulford said.

“The outpouring of respect, affection and love for this man and what he provided to us all for such a long time is what all Victorians, indeed all Australians, will be thinking of.”

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