OJ Simpson: Controversial ex-NFL player dies at age 76

OJ Simpson, the former NFL star whose double murder trial captivated the world, has died at the age of 76 from prostate cancer.

“On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer,” the family said.

“He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren.

“During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace.”

Simpson was one of the best football players in the history of the NFL, but his reputation was irreparably damaged in 1994 when his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman were found stabbed to death outside her Los Angeles apartment.

Immediately being the main person of interest in the case, Simpson agreed to hand himself in but instead led police on a low-speed pursuit through Los Angeles that was live-streamed across the US.

Simpson eventually stood trial for the double murder in what became known as “the trial of the century” when he was acquitted thanks to legal help from Robert Kardashian, the father of Kim, Khloe and Kourtney.

Simpson had been battling prostate cancer and revealed he was receiving treatment last year.

Just two months ago, in what would be one of his final posts on X, formerly known as Twitter, he rubbished reports he was in a hospice and claimed to be watching the SuperBowl with friends.

“Hey, X world. Hospice? Hospice? Are you talking about hospice? No, I’m not in any hospice. I don’t know who put that out there… but I can’t trust the media,” he said, insisting that “all is well.”

On February 12, he appeared upbeat in a video to his fans, reassuring them about his health.

“My health is good; I mean, obviously, I’m dealing with some issues, but, hey, I think I’m just about over it, and I’ll be back on that golf course, hopefully in a couple of weeks,” he said.

While Simpson had previously worked as an actor, his film career took off following his retirement from the NFL in 1979.

He appeared in movies, including The Naked Gun trilogy, alongside Leslie Nielsen.

In 2008, he faced more legal trouble after being sentenced to 33 years in prison for kidnapping and armed robbery.

He had broken into a Las Vegas hotel room in an attempt to recover sports memorabilia he thought had been stolen from him.

He was released from prison in 2017.