Former Dynasty star Christopher Cazenove dies

(GETTY IMAGES)

Actor Christopher Cazenove died after a "valiant battle" with septicaemia, his family said.

The British actor was best known for his role as Ben Carrington in the glamorous 1980s soap opera Dynasty.

A statement released through Lesley Duff, his agent for the past 12 years, said: "Christopher died peacefully on April 7 surrounded by his loved ones having contracted septicaemia at the end of February.

"Despite a valiant fight and the untiring efforts of the wonderful team at St Thomas's, he was overwhelmed.

"All who knew and loved him will be devastated by the loss of this incredible man who touched so many lives."

Cazenove, 64, was taken to St Thomas's Hospital in London, after he was taken ill at his London home.

The actor, who was born in Winchester, Hampshire, first found fame as Charlie Tyrrell in the 1970s mini-series The Duchess of Duke Street.

The Old Etonian went on to play The Baron in the television adaptation of Jeffrey Archer's novel Kane and Abel and Captain Preston in the Second World War drama Jenny's War, both released in 1985.

But it was his short time as Ben Carrington in Dynasty which made him a household name.

Cazenove later played Edward Hargreave in the 1990 film Three Men and a Little Lady, the sequel to Three Men and a Baby.

He also played John Thatcher, the father of the late Heath Ledger's character William Thatcher, in the 2001 film A Knight's Tale.

Cazenove returned to UK television in 2001 when he played Assistant Deputy Police Commissioner Row Colemore in Judge John Deed and Urquart Sav in Fun at the Funeral Parlour.

Although he was best known for his television work, Cazenove also worked extensively on the stage and in radio.

He was married to Poldark actress Angharad Rees for more than 20 years and they had two sons, Linford and Rhys.

Linford, the elder of the two, died in a car crash on the M11 in Essex in 1999 aged 25.

Septicaemia is a bacterial infection of the blood, commonly known as blood poisoning.