Modern Family farewells their third cast member this year with the death of Fred Willard

Fred Willard, beloved actor and comedian, has died, aged 86.

"My father passed away very peacefully last night at the fantastic age of 86 years old," his daughter Hope Mulbarger said in a statement on Saturday.

"He kept moving, working and making us happy until the very end. We loved him so very much! We will miss him forever."

Colleagues and friends of the actor have been sharing tributes online and mourning the loss together.

Willard's career included more than 300 projects, and he was perhaps mostly known for his roles in Best in Show and A Mighty Wind. He was also in This is Spinal Tap and Anchorman.

Most recently, he'd played Phil Dunphy's father Frank in the hit comedy series Modern Family.

His character passed away in an episode aired in January, just two months before the final episode aired in the US.

Fred Willard's death is the third to hit the Modern Family cast this year. Marsha Kramer, who played Jay Pritchett's (Ed O'Neill) longtime assistant Margaret, passed away in January aged 74.

Beatrice the French bulldog who played Stella on Modern Family also died just days after the show ended.