SpongeBob SquarePants creator Stephen Hillenburg has died at the age of 57, Nickelodeon that broadcast the hugely popular cartoon series since 1999, has confirmed. In a statement, the company said Hillenburg's death on Monday was due to motor neurone disease (also known as ALS) -- a condition he revealed he had been diagnosed with in March 2017, the BBC reported.

He not only created the character, Hillenburg also directed the 2004 The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie. "We are sad to share the news of the passing of Stephen Hillenburg, the creator of SpongeBob SquarePants," Nickelodeon tweeted from its official account.