The voice behind the US sweetcorn brand Jolly Green Giant has died from cancer, aged 80.

Elmer Dresslar provided the voice for the brand’s popular character, booming out the tagline “Ho, ho, ho” in adverts for several decades.

The phrase, one of the most distinctive taglines in advertising history, was created by Leo Burnett.

A spokeswoman for General Mills, the owner of the Green Giant Company, said Dresslar had been "the most consistent and most frequent voice of the Jolly Green Giant over the years".

Despite being over 6 foot tall, Dresslar never got the chance to act as the Green Giant however, with that part going to former Olympic ski-jumper Keith Wegeman.