SYDNEY — Australian television star and singer Johnny Ruffo has died aged 35, after a battle with brain cancer.

Ruffo rose to fame on reality show X Factor Australia, before turning to acting in soap Home and Away.

After his diagnosis in 2017, he contributed to efforts to raise funding and awareness about brain cancer in Australia.

He died on Friday, surrounded by loved ones, his family said in a statement on his Instagram page.

"He battled all the way to the end and fought as hard as he could," it read.

"Such a beautiful soul with so much more to give."

He would be remembered as a "talented, charming and sometimes cheeky boy", they added.

Former X Factor host and Spice Girl Mel B was among those who sent condolences to his family.

Dannii Minogue wrote on Instagram: "The cheekiest chap. His voice, smile and dancing feet will be missed by so many."

Ruffo was born in Perth in Western Australia and worked as a concreter before catching his break on the third season of X Factor in 2011.

He went on to release several singles, win a season of Dancing with the Stars, and starred as Chris Harrington on Home and Away for three years.

Ruffo put his career on hold after his diagnosis in 2017. After two years of treatment, he entered remission, but his cancer returned in 2020.

In an interview last year Ruffo revealed his prognosis had become terminal.

"Looking up my diagnosis and my tumour and... the average life expectancy was three years. For me its now been five years, so I'm already winning," he told Channel 10.

"At some point it is going to get me... My goal now is to try and help as many people as I can."

He is survived by his partner Tahnee Sims. — BBC