Actress Florence Henderson, best known for her role as Carol Brady, beloved matriarch of sitcom familyThe Brady Bunch, has died aged 82.

Henderson’s manager, Kayla Pressman, said in a statement on Friday that the actress died surrounded by family and friends.

AP reported she died from heart failure at a hospital in southern California, after being hospitalised a day earlier.

Maureen McCormick, who played Henderson’s eldest TV daughter Marcia in the popular show, paid tribute to her on-screen mother on Twitter.

Florence Henderson was a dear friend for so very many years & in my <3 forever. Love & hugs to her family. I'll miss u dearly #RIPFlorence

— Maureen McCormick (@MoMcCormick7) November 25, 2016

You are in my heart forever Florence💕 pic.twitter.com/PABCuPubA2

— Maureen McCormick (@MoMcCormick7) November 25, 2016

The sitcom about the family of eight, which first aired in 1969, had millions of fans around the world.

It told the story of the life of a woman and her three daughters after marrying a man with three sons of similar ages.

The show returned to television in various forms again and again, including The Brady Bunch Hour in 1977, The Brady Brides in 1981 and The Bradys in 1990.

She was back again in 1995 when a new cast was assembled for The Brady Bunch Movie, a playful spoof of the original show.

“It represents what people always wanted: a loving family. It’s such a gentle, innocent, sweet show, and I guess it proved there’s always an audience for that,” Henderson said in 1999.

https://twitter.com/DebraMessing/status/802036446756540416

RIP the dear #Florence Henderson. You were a light.

— jason alexander (@IJasonAlexander) November 25, 2016

Henderson also made many guest appearances in her illustrious career including on shows such as Roseanne, Ally McBeal, Ellen, 30 Rock and The King of Queens.

She made her movie debut in 1970 in Song of Norway, based on the 1944 operetta with music by Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg.

One of Henderson’s final public outings was an appearance on the finale of the American version of Dancing with the Stars in 2010.

She was in the audience to support fellow Brady Bunch cast member, Ms McCormick, who was a contestant on the dancing show.

In addition to her role on the hit show, Henderson was also a singer and starred in a number of musicals early in her career.

Henderson made her Broadway debut at age 18 in the 1952 musical Wish You Were Here, before starring in the touring production of Oklahoma! in 1953.

She was also in the 1954 production Fanny, and her last Broadway play, The Girl Who Came to Supper.

The multi-talented entertainer also hosted a number of television shows in the twilight of her public life.

In 2008, she began hosting her own talk show, The Florence Henderson Show. She also started her own cooking show in 2013, What’s Cooking with Florence Henderson.

The actress is survived by her children – Barbara, Joseph, Robert and Lizzie – their respective spouses, and five grandchildren.