Joan Rivers has died at the age of 81, daughter Melissa Rivers has announced.
The comedienne had been on life support in Mount Sinai Hospital since having a cardiac arrest in New York last week.
In a statement, her daughter said Joan Rivers died surrounded by family and friends, and she thanked hospital staff for their “amazing care”.
Joan Rivers stopped breathing during a procedure on her vocal chords at an outpatient clinic on August 28.
Melissa Rivers’ statement said: “My mother’s greatest joy in life was to make people laugh. Although that is difficult to do right now, I know her final wish would be that we return to laughing soon.”
On September 3, Melissa Rivers issued a brief statement that her mother had been moved from Mount Sinai Hospital’s ICU into a private room, without any comment concerning Joan Rivers’ condition or prognosis.
Joan Rivers died on Thursday, September 4, at 1.17 PM.
Joan Rivers was best known for her stand-up comedy, for co-hosting the E! celebrity fashion show Fashion Police, and for starring in the reality series Joan & Melissa: Joan Knows Best? alongside her daughter Melissa Rivers.
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