British Comic Rik Mayall suffered "an acute cardiac event" after returning from a morning run, his wife has said.
The actor (56) died at his home in southwest London on Monday. He was best known for the TV shows 'The Young Ones' and 'Bottom', in which he starred alongside long-time collaborator Adrian Edmondson.
Barbara Mayall said her family has received "thousands and thousands of messages of condolence" from around the world.
She said "We always knew that Rik was well loved but we are all overwhelmed by so many joining us in our grief. We now know that our darling Rik suffered an 'acute cardiac event' at our home around midday on June 9th".
Mrs. Mayall said he had just returned from his "usual run" and that many people would have seen him out that morning.
She thanked the press "for their discretion" and "all the wonderful coverage", adding "It would have made him very happy".
She added: "I am sure that you all know Rik's response would be something along the lines of...'Well thanks very much all of you....now f*** off!!!"'
Earlier, a London Coroner's Court said a post-mortem examination into Mayall's death had been inconclusive and more tests were being carried out in an attempt to determine how the star died.
Mayall starred in several other programmes including 'The New Statesman', in which he played conniving MP Alan B'Stard, 'Blackadder II' and 'Blackadder Goes Forth'.
And he appeared in film roles including 'Drop Dead Fred'.
In 1998, he was seriously injured in a quad bike accident which left him in a coma for several days. Mayall said doctors had kept him alive on a life-support machine for five days and were about to turn it off when he began to show signs of life.
He leaves his wife and three children - Rosie, Sidney and Bonnie who paid tribute to her "foul-mouthed father".
She wrote on Facebook "My dad was loved not only by my family, but by many many others. We will never forget him and neither will the world".
"RIP to the man, the myth, the legend - my wonderful, generous, foul mouthed and hysterical father. My idol now and forever. We love you daddy".
