American comedienne Joan Rivers has passed away at the age of 81, her family has confirmed in a statement.

Rivers was on life support in Mount Sinai Hospital in New York after suffering cardiac arrest during day surgery last week.

• US comedienne Joan Rivers ‘on life support’
• Joan Rivers ‘serious’ in New York hospital

“It is with great sadness that I announce the death of my mother, Joan Rivers,” read the statement from her daughter, Melissa.

“My son and I would like to thank the doctors, nurses, and staff of Mount Sinai Hospital for the amazing care they provided for my mother.”

“My mother’s greatest joy in life was to make people laugh. Although that is difficult to do right now, I know her final wish would be that we return to laughing soon.”

Rivers shot to fame in the 1960s, starring on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson before landing her own talk show The Joan Rivers Show.

The award-winning presenter spoke about her funeral in her book ‘I Hate Everyone…Starting with Me’, saying she wanted it to be a “huge showbiz affair”.

“I don’t want some rabbi rambling on; I want Meryl Streep crying, in five different accents,” she wrote.

“And I want wind machine so that even in my casket my hair is blowing just like Beyonce’s.”

Famous friends of the enigmatic presenter paid tribute to her on Twitter.

Joan Rivers will always be a pioneer. She paved the way for a lot of comedians. I’m very sad she’s gone. pic.twitter.com/i1uE9fyHMh

— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) September 4, 2014

.@Joan_Rivers was a dear & wonderful friend who I’ve known for 45yrs. Great guest, pal, comedian & mother. We will never see her likes again

— Larry King (@kingsthings) September 4, 2014

#JoanRivers always teased me at every red carpet event. She was always right and always hysterical. She was a joy and I will miss her. RIP

— James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) September 4, 2014

Dearest Joan. I hope you give God hell for taking you from us. We needed you here. @Joan_Rivers Love you and see you when I get there.

— Nancy Sinatra (@NancySinatra) September 4, 2014

R.I.P Joan Rivers. Thanks to you, I stopped dressing like a “hooker from the future”.

— AZEALIA ⚓️ BANKS (@AZEALIABANKS) September 4, 2014