Twin Peaks director David Lynch has died at age 78.

The four-time Oscar-nominated filmmaker’s family announced the devastating news via social media on Thursday.

Famous for directing his iconic TV series and the film Blue Velvet, Lynch had recently been battling ill health and was homebound due to emphysema.

In a Facebook post, the family of David Lynch announced his passing with great sadness. They described him as both a man and an artist.

‘We would appreciate some privacy at this time. There’s a big hole in the world now that he’s no longer with us.’

‘But, as he would say, “Keep your eye on the donut and not on the hole.” ‘It’s a beautiful day with golden sunshine and blue skies all the way,’ they concluded.

Lynch is survived by his wife Emily Stofle, and three children Jennifer Lynch, Austin Jack Lynch, and Riley Lynch.

Four-time Oscar-nominated filmmaker David Lynch has died at age 78; seen in 2019

Under the announcement, fans shared their condolences to his family and their love for his uniquely dark vision.  

In an interview with Sight & Sound in August, Lynch said that he got the disease ‘for smoking so long.’

Lynch said: ‘I’m homebound whether I like it or not. I can’t go out. And I can only walk a short distance before I’m out of oxygen.’

The director of Blue Velvet and Twin Peaks got real as he said his love of cigarettes put him in this position.

Lynch said: ‘Smoking was something that I absolutely loved, but in the end, it bit me.

‘It was part of the art life for me: the tobacco and the smell of it, and lighting things and smoking and going back and sitting back and having a smoke and looking at your work, or thinking about things.

‘Nothing like it in this world is so beautiful. Meanwhile, it’s killing me. So I had to quit.’

Though his disease has prevented him from working on projects in person, he is not completely ruling out the possibility of directing in the future.

He said: ‘I like to be amongst the things and get ideas there. But I would try to do it remotely, if it comes to it.’

The four-time Oscar-nominated filmmaker’s family announced the devastating news via social media on Thursday

Famous for directing his iconic TV series and the film Blue Velvet, Lynch had recently been battling ill health and was homebound due to emphysema (pictured in 1990)

Lynch was referencing his animated project – called Snootworld – which was pitched and ultimately passed on by Netflix. 

In November, he told People that he required supplemental oxygen for most activities and could ‘hardly walk across a room.’ 

‘It’s like you’re walking around with a plastic bag around your head,’ he said of his battle with emphysema. 

Despite not having any regrets, Lynch hopes his devastating health update will encourage other smokers to quit.

He also told the outlet: ‘Think about it. You can quit these things that are going to end up killing you.’

Lynch admitted there had been a ‘big price to pay’ for his lifelong habit but said he didn’t regret it.

By the time he gave up cigarettes the father-of-four could ‘hardly move without gasping for air.’

‘Quitting was my only choice,’ he said. 

In an interview with Sight & Sound in August, Lynch said that he got the disease ‘for smoking so long’ (seen in 1984)

Some of Lynch’s other signature projects included Eraserhead (1977), The Elephant Man (1980), Blue Velvet (1986), and Mulholland Drive (seen above in 2001), and Inland Empire (2006)

His most recent major project before his health issues was the revival of his series Twin Peaks for Showtime in 2017.

The original series had ran from 1990 to 1991 as it followed the investigation into the murder of homecoming queen Laura Palmer (played by Sheryl Lee) as it took place in the fictional town of Twin Peaks, Washington.  

When it first aired in the early 1990s the series had developed a cult following after its run on ABC which later resulted in the 1992 prequel feature film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk.

Over his career, he was awarded with numerous accolades, including the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement in 2006 and an Honorary Academy Award in 2019; seen in 2019

Previously, Lynch revealed he had emphysema after ‘many years of smoking’ on X

Over two decades Lynch’s signature franchise made a comeback with Twin Peaks: The Return.

Kyle MacLachlan, Sherilyn Fenn, Mädchen Amick, Lee and David Duchovny – who starred in the original – returned for the revival.

Other stars were also added into the mix including Laura Dern, Amanda Seyfried, Jessica Szohr, Michael Cera, Richard Chamberlain, and Trent Reznor.

Lynch’s other signature projects included Eraserhead (1977), The Elephant Man (1980), Blue Velvet (1986), and Mulholland Drive (2001), and Inland Empire (2006).