Tributes have been paid to a veteran broadcaster who has died suddenly.

BBC broadcaster Sir David Frost died from a heart attack on Saturday night on the Queen Elizabeth cruise ship where he was due to give a speech.

The 74-year-old received an honorary doctorate from University of Sussex in 1994.

In 1983, the broadcaster married Lady Carina Fitzalan-Howard, daughter to the 17th Duke of Norfolk, whose family home is Arundel Castle, Highlights of Frost’s distinguished 50 year career include an interview with disgraced US president Richard Nixon.

His big break came when he co-created and hosted satirical show That Was The Week Was in the early 1960s.

Another of his early programmes, The Frost Report, effectively launched John Cleese, Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett on their subsequent glittering careers.

He is also well-known for Breakfast with Frost which ran between 1993 and 2005 and panel game show Through The Keyhole which ran for 21 years until 2008.

The broadcaster was still working for Al Jazeera English at the time of his death.

Tributes poured in from Twitter including Prime Minister David Cameron who said: "My heart goes out to David Frost's family.

“He could be - and certainly was with me - both a friend and a fearsome interviewer.”

Actor and comedian Stephen Fry tweeted: "Oh heavens, David Frost dead? No!! I only spoke to him on Friday and he sounded so well. Excited about a house move, full of plans ... how sad."

In a statement to BBC News, Sir David's family said: "His family are devastated and ask for privacy at this difficult time.

“A family funeral will be held in the near future and details of a memorial service will be announced in due course."