1960s teen idol Bobby Sherman, who was beloved for his hit single Little Woman, has died at the age of 81 after a battle with cancer.

Sherman largely withdrew from the entertainment industry in the 1970s but retained a devoted fanbase through the intervening years.

His wife Brigitte Poublon heartbreakingly announced this March that her husband had received a diagnosis of stage four cancer.

By early April, she disclosed that his body was ‘shutting down’ and he was ‘at home with special care’ after a stint in the hospital.

Now a longtime friend of his has revealed Sherman succumbed to his illness this Tuesday morning at home in the Los Angeles suburb Encino, via TMZ.

In a statement posted to Instagram by Sherman’s pal John Stamos, Poublon shared that her husband ‘left this world holding my hand.’ 

1960s teen idol Bobby Sherman, who was beloved for his hit single Little Woman, has died at the age of 81 after a battle with cancer; pictured 1971 

‘It is with the heaviest heart that I share the passing of my beloved husband, Bobby Sherman,’ wrote Poublon in her public statement.

‘Bobby departed this life with my hand in his—just as he filled our years together with affection, bravery, and unyielding elegance throughout our 29 marvelous years of marriage. I was his Cinderella, and he was my prince charming. Even in his last moments, he remained strong for me. That’s the essence of Bobby—courageous, tender, and radiant,’ she shared.

‘While he rested, I shared with him fan letters from around the globe—messages of love and appreciation that uplifted his spirits and reminded him of how profoundly he was loved. He absorbed every word with that familiar glimmer in his eyes,’ she reminisced.

‘And indeed, he still managed to deliver perfectly-timed jokes—Bobby possessed a delightful, sharp wit. It was with him until the end. He could brighten any room with a look, a remark, or one of his timeless, clever one-liners.’

She paid tribute to his showbiz career but noted that ‘to those who truly knew him, Bobby was something much more. He was a man of service.’

Poublon pointed out that Sherman ‘traded sold-out concerts and magazine covers for the back of an ambulance, becoming an EMT and a trainer with the LAPD. He saved lives. He showed us what real heroism looks like—quiet, selfless, and deeply human.’

She shared: ‘Bobby is survived by his two sons, Tyler and Christopher, and six beautiful grandchildren. He lived with integrity, gave without hesitation, and loved with his whole heart. And though our family feels his loss profoundly, we also feel the warmth of his legacy—his voice, his laughter, his music, his mission.

Poublon concluded: ‘Thank you to every fan who ever sang along, who ever wrote a letter, who ever sent love his way. He felt it. Rest gently, my love. With gratitude and love, Brigitte Poublon Sherman.’

His wife Brigitte Poublon heartbreakingly announced in March that her husband had received a diagnosis of stage four cancer; the couple are pictured in 2015 

His career was launched after he was asked to sing at a party in the 1960s attended by the likes of Jane Fonda, Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo; pictured 1970

He became a bona fide star in 1968 on the western TV show Here Come the Brides, which was about lonely lumberjacks in Seattle after the Civil War; pictured on the series

Sherman played the stammering, lovable Jeremy Bolt, one of the three brothers trying to recruit women to come to Seattle and keep the men company; pictured on the series

Here Come the Brides ended in 1970, by which point Sherman had reportedly gotten more fan mail than any other on-air talent on ABC-TV; pictured on the show

Stamos posted Poublon’s statement to Instagram with his own message: ‘From one ex teen idol, to another – rest in peace Bobby Sherman.’ 

Born in Santa Monica, Sherman was a football star in high school, before embarking on a glittering life in Hollywood as a singer and actor.

His career was launched after he was asked to sing at a party in the 1960s attended by the likes of Jane Fonda, Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo – Sherman’s mentor.

Through that party, he made the connections to land a spot as a house singer on the variety show Shindig! in 1964, per the New York Times.

He became a bona fide star in 1968 on the western TV show Here Come the Brides, which centered on lonely lumberjacks in Seattle after the Civil War.

Sherman played the stammering, lovable Jeremy Bolt, one of the three brothers trying to recruit women to come to Seattle and stay for a year to keep the men company.

In 1969, Sherman achieved his greatest success as a singer with the bubblegum pop single Little Woman, in which he pleads with his lover to ‘make up your mind’ and to ‘come into my world and leave your world behind.’ 

He continued putting out hit singles, including La La La (If I Had You) in 1969, as well as Julie, Do Ya Love Me and Easy Come, Easy Go in 1970. 

In his later life, he dedicated himself to the emergency services, including as a San Bernardino County deputy sheriff, providing CPR and emergency training to new hires; pictured 2003

Amid his years of public service, Sherman treated his fans to a return to the limelight by appearing in the 1998 nostalgia-themed Teen Idols In Concert tour (pictured)

Here Come the Brides ended in 1970, by which point Sherman had reportedly been sent more fan mail than any other on-air talent on ABC-TV.

Sherman kept appearing on television, including on two of the best-remembered shows of the era, The Monkees and The Partridge Family.

However, by the mid-1970s, he largely receded from the spotlight, returning for sporadic concert appearances, mainly corporate or for charity, and guest-starring on programs like Murder, She Wrote.

In his later life he dedicated himself to the emergency services, becoming a paramedic and providing first aid training within the Los Angeles Police Department, as well as at the Los Angeles Police Department Academy.

He also gave emergency and CPR training to new deputy hires at the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, where he held a position as a reserve deputy sheriff. 

Sherman was the Reserve Officer of the Year at the LAPD in 1999, and five years later he was honored in a speech on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Congressman Buck McKeon, Republican of California, said on the floor in 2004: ‘Bobby is a stellar example of the statement “to protect and serve.”‘

During his time as a paramedic, he still enjoyed a loyal fanbase – to the point that occasionally his two careers overlapped.

In his personal life, Sherman welcomed two sons called Tyler and Christopher in the 1970s with his first wife Patti Carnel; pictured in 1972 with Carnel and baby Christopher

In a statement posted to Instagram by Sherman’s pal John Stamos, Poublon shared that her husband ‘left this world holding my hand’

‘On one call in Northridge we were working on a hemorrhaging woman who had passed out,’ Sherman told the Los Angeles Times in 1993. ‘Her husband kept staring at me. Finally he said: “Look, honey, it’s Bobby Sherman!”‘

At that point the woman snapped back to consciousness and ‘said: “Oh great, I must look a mess!” I told her not to worry, she looked fine,’ Sherman recalled, adding that he gave her an autograph before she was hauled off into the ambulance.

Amid his years of public service, Sherman treated his fans to a return to the limelight by appearing in the 1998 nostalgia-themed Teen Idols In Concert tour, alongside Davy Jones of The Monkees and Peter Noone of Herman’s Hermits.

In his personal life, Sherman welcomed two sons called Tyler and Christopher in the 1970s with his first wife Patti Carnel – who, after their divorce, married David Soul, Sherman’s onscreen brother on Here Come The Brides.

From 2010 until his death this week, Sherman was married to Brigitte Poublon, with whom he founded the Brigitte & Bobby Sherman Children’s (BBSC) Foundation, aimed at education and musical training for students in Ghana. 

This March, Poublon announced Sherman’s cancer diagnosis on her Facebook page with a shattering message to ‘all of Bobby Sherman’s cherished fans.’

Stamos posted Poublon’s statement to Instagram with his own message: ‘From one ex teen idol, to another – rest in peace Bobby Sherman’

She wrote: ‘As many of you know, Bobby has been retired for some time and is no longer able to participate in cameos, sign autographs, or make appearances.’

Poublon then shared: ‘It is with a heavy heart that we share Bobby has recently been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. During this challenging time, we kindly ask for your understanding and respect for our privacy. Thank you so much for still remembering him. We really appreciate it.’

At the start of April, she offered the public an update on his condition, explaining that he was is ‘terminally ill’ and ‘at home with special care’ after leaving the hospital.

‘He was doing crossword puzzles with me in the last few days. And then all of a sudden Saturday, he turned around and…he’s just sleeping more and his body’s not working anymore. It’s not. Everything’s shutting down,’ she told Fox News Digital.

She disclosed his devastating plea to her, recalling: ‘His last words from the hospital last night were: “Brig, I just want to go home.”‘