Carl Davis dead: Bafta-winning composer famous for 2006 World Cup theme dies aged 86 after brain haemorrhage
BAFTA-winning composer Carl Davis has died at the age of 86, his family has said.
The star musician is well known for composing the 2006 World Cup theme.
Mr Davis wrote music for more than 100 television programmes in his lifetime - but is best known for creating music to accompany silent films.
A statement said: "We are heartbroken to announce that Carl Davis (CBE) passed away this morning, following a brain haemorrhage.
"We are so proud that Carl's legacy will be his astonishing impact on music.
"A consummate all-round musician, he was the driving force behind the reinvention of the silent movie for this generation and he wrote scores for some of the most loved and remembered British television dramas."
Grammy award nominee Davis's other notable credits include music for BBC drama Upstairs, Downstairs in 2012, following his work on Cranford in 2007, as well as writing music for films including 1984 hit Champions starring Sir John Hurt, 1989's Scandal with Sir Ian McKellen and Joanne Whalley, and most famously The French Lieutenant's Woman with Meryl Streep.
His music has accompanied a host of British classics including 1971's Up Pompeii!, Widows' Peak in 1994 with the late Natasha Richardson and Mia Farrow and 1993's The Trial with Sir Anthony Hopkins.
In the 1970s, Sir Jeremy Isaacs commissioned Davis to write the award-winning score for The World At War television series and he was later commissioned by the BBC to write the music for a host of their classic serials.
His scores for the small screen include The Snow Goose, Hotel Du Lac, Hollywood, The Naked Civil Servant, Silas Marner, The Commanding Sea, Goodnight Mister Tom, A Dance To The Music Of Time and Oppenheimer.
Davis is survived by his wife Jean Boht, his two daughters and three grandchildren.