Renowned Australian actor and satirist Barry Humphries has died at the age of 89.

He was best known for his comic alter egos Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson, but also appeared in more than 20 films and authored numerous books and stage plays.

Humphries was born in Melbourne in 1934 but scored his first major break after moving to London when he was cast in the original 1960 stage production of the musical Oliver!

Humphries co-wrote the 1972 film The Adventures of Barry McKenzie in which he also played three roles.

His signature stage and television persona, Dame Edna Everage, was created in the 1950s but gained worldwide fame through her television programs in the 1980s and 1990s.

Humphries received numerous awards throughout his career, including a Lifetime Achievement Award at the British Comedy Award, and a Tony Award for his Dame Edna: The Royal Tour show.

He was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 1982 for his services to the theatre and Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2007.

From 2000 to 2019, the Melbourne Comedy Festival named its prize for most outstanding comedy act the Barry Award in honour of Humphries.

Humphries faced criticism for comments late in his career, in which he referred to gender affirmation surgery as “self-mutilation” and described transgender identity as a “fashion”.

The comments led to the Melbourne Comedy Festival renaming the award that was named in his honour in 2019.

Humphries was married four times and has two daughters and two sons.