Raffaella Carra, one of Italian television’s most popular and beloved entertainers, has died at the age of 78 after a long illness, state TV has quoted her family as saying.

Rai TV read a statement from the star’s family, announcing that she died at home after a long illness. It said that in keeping with her wishes medical details were not being released.

With her energetic presence and strong singing voice, the petite Carra was a beloved staple in the early heyday decades of Rai, especially when it was the only nationwide broadcaster.

With often sexy costumes — daring by state TV’s standards in a country where the Vatican wields considerable influence — Carra was also credited with helping Italian women be more confident with themselves.

Once, in a then daring move, she bared her belly button during one TV performance.

But she could also be devastatingly elegant and classy in her dress and manners.

She also was considered an icon for gay fans due to her joyful performances.

Her trademark bouncy, blonde haircut and fringe — the helmet look, it was dubbed — were imitated by many.

“She was the lady of Italian television,” culture minister Dario Franceschini said, expressing sorrow for her death.

In one of her last interviews, Carra said: “Italian women found me greatly likable because I am not a man-eater — you can have sex appeal together with sweetness and irony.”

Affectionately known as Raffa, she was born Raffaella Maria Roberta Pelloni in Bologna on June 18 1943.

She started her career as a singer, dancer, TV presenter and actress when still a child.

She was not married and had no children, but her former companion, Sergio Japino, a TV director and choreographer, quoted her as often saying: “I didn’t have children but I had thousands of them.”

The reference was to 150,000 children over the years she helped sponsor financially on one of her TV programs, Amore.

She was also widely popular in Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries.