Agents acting for James kept news of his death secret for three days, finally releasing a statement on Wednesday saying he had died at home in Cambridge on Sunday.

A private funeral attended by close family took place in the chapel at Pembroke College, Cambridge on Wednesday.

He was 80 years old.

"Clive died almost 10 years after his first terminal diagnosis, and one month after he laid down his pen for the last time," the statement from United Agents read.

"He endured his ever-multiplying illnesses with patience and good humour, knowing until the last moment that he had experienced more than his fair share of this 'great, good world'.

"He was grateful to the staff at Addenbrooke's Hospital for their care and kindness, which unexpectedly allowed him so much extra time.

"His family would like to thank the nurses of the Arthur Rank Hospice at Home team for their help in his last days, which allowed him to die peacefully and at home, surrounded by his family and his books."

Tributes have flowed in from across the globe, with Monty Python member Eric Idle one of the many to mourn his passing on social media.

"To lose one friend is bad but to lose two reeks of carelessness," Idle Tweeted overnight.

"The beloved hilarious genius Jonathan Miller who dramatically changed my life three times, and dear Clive James my pal at Cambridge."

Clive James was born in Sydney in 1939 grew up in the southern Sydney suburb of Kogarah and attended Sydney University, where he became part of the libertarian Sydney Push.

In his 20s he migrated to London where he became one of Australia's best-known ex-pats, writing newspaper columns and books and hosting his own television shows.

He humorously described his early years in three memoirs published in the 1980s - Unreliable Memoirs, Falling Towards England and May Week Was In June.