George Wendt's cause of death has been revealed

It lists the actor's cause of death as "cardiac arrest with congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, and hypertension as underlying causes" and adds that "end-stage renal disease - kidney failure - and hyperlipidemia" were also contributing factors.

Best known for his role as beer-swilling Norm Peterson on the hit NBC bar sitcom Cheers, George had spoken candidly about the impact of the show on his life.

He said in a past interview: "I was lucky to be part of something that became such a beloved part of people's lives."

Born in 1948, George a household name throughout the run of 'Cheers', which was on air for 11 seasons from 1982 to 1993.

Despite a rocky start with low ratings that nearly saw the show cancelled after its first season, the sitcom grew to become a defining sitcom of its era, spending eight of its remaining 10 seasons in the top 10 shows and peaking as the most-watched programme in its ninth season.

The series received 117 Emmy nominations, winning 28 awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series four times.

George was nominated for six consecutive Emmys for his portrayal of Norm, appearing in every episode until the series ended in May 1993.

Outside of Cheers, George appeared in various television roles, including Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Columbo.

He was also well known for his recurring sketch on 'Saturday Night Live', Bill Swerski's Superfans, which celebrated Chicago sports fans.

George was married to Bernadette Birkett, who voiced his never-seen sitcom wife Vera on 'Cheers', since 1978.

The couple had three children - a daughter and two sons.