British Tv comedy writer Bob Larbey has died, aged 79.

Larbey's agent has confirmed the writer passed away on Monday (31Mar14).

He was best known for co-writing classic 1970s comedy The Good Life with John Esmonde. The show starred Richard Briers and Felicity Kendal as a couple who abandon traditional city jobs and embrace a farming lifestyle in a London suburb.

School friends Esmonde and Larbey achieved their first success with sketches for The DICk Emery Show in 1963 and had their breakthrough in 1968 with sitcom Please, Sir!

They went on to co-write a number of British Tv hits including Ever Decreasing Circles and Brush Strokes.

Away from his partnership with Esmonde, Larbey was also responsible for hit U.K. Tv sitcom As Time Goes By.