Hollywood matchmaker Amber Kelleher-Andrews has died aged 56 after a long cancer battle, her team has announced. Amber died on Sunday April 13 in her home in Montecito, California, surrounded by family. The celebrity neighbourhood has famous residents, including Oprah Winfrey, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and Ariana Grande. Her business partner and co-CEO for Kelleher International, her matchmaking company, has confirmed her cause of death was cancer.

The company issued a statement announcing the sad death, penning: "Amber’s passion and vision helped shape Kelleher International into the globally recognized leader it is today. Her dedication to love, her clients, and the art of connection left an indelible mark on all of us. Her empathy, energy, and ability to create transformative matches became the heartbeat of our firm — a legacy that lives on in every member of the Kelleher team."

Amber started her career off as an actress and appeared in iconic shows such as Melrose Place and Baywatch. She then joined Kelleher International, which was started by her mother Jill in 1986, in 1995.

She was made chief executive in 2000 at the famous matchmaking company, which boasted Hollywood celebrities, athletes and businessmen as their clients.

Amber also regularly made appearances on TODAY, “Good Morning America” and CNN, and also appeared as a matchmaker on NBC’s Ready for Love.

Her cousin Morgan Kelleher paid tribute, as he said Amber would "want to be remembered as a fun mom, that loved to swim, dance and sing while embracing every sunset, randomly calling friends and family to join on trips, or share a laugh."

He continued: "She would often take one of her kids on business, or leisure trips to spend one-on-one time with them, or reward them for doing good in school,” he added. “They would explore new restaurants, neighborhoods, amusement parks, hike along the coast, shop, swim at a beautiful waterfall, or clear water swim spot that looked like heaven."

Richard Branson also issued a statement after working with Amber on his non-profit Virgin Unite. He wrote: "Amber was a treasure to this world,” he said in the statement. “Her joy, love and sheer determination to make the world a better place was awe-inspiring.”

"Her legacy will live on in the many people whose lives she touched through her generosity and through sparking purpose in so many others."