Andy Fletcher, keyboardist and founding member of Depeche Mode, has died, a statement released by the band has confirmed. He was 60.

In the statement, which was shared on Thursday night (May 26), the band said: "We are shocked and filled with overwhelming sadness with the untimely passing of our dear friend, family member, and bandmate Andy 'Fletch' Fletcher. Fletch had a heart of gold and was always there when you needed support, a lively conversation, a good laugh, or a cold pint."

Born in Nottingham in 1961, Fletcher's first foray into music came in the late 1970s when he formed the short-lived band No Romance In China with schoolmate Vince Clarke (who would later form Erasure). Fletcher played bass guitar in the project.

In 1980, with Martin Gore on board, the trio turned to synths and formed the group Composition Of Sound from their then base of Basildon. Dave Gahan soon joined them to take on vocal duties, with the group later changing their name to Depeche Mode at his suggestion. The band's debut album, Speak & Spell, came out in 1981, with Clarke leaving the project soon after.

In 1982, the band released their second album, A Broken Frame, which they recorded as a trio. They have remained the core trio of the band since, though Alan Wilder joined from 1982 until 1995. The band released 14 studio albums with Fletcher at the core of the lineup, with their most recent, Spirit, coming out in 2017. Across these albums, the band enjoyed huge success releasing classic singles such as 'Personal Jesus', 'Just Can't Get Enough' and 'Enjoy The Silence'.

Outside of the band, Fletcher launched his own label, Toast Hawaii, as a sub-imprint of Mute in 2002. The project continued until 2006 and released a number of records by the band CLIEИT.

Concluding their statement on Fletcher's passing, the band said: "Our hearts are with his family, and we ask that you keep them in your thoughts and respect their privacy in this difficult time."