Long-time TSN personality and SportsCentre host Darren Dutchyshen passed away Wednesday after a long battle with prostate cancer. He was 57.

“Darren Dutchyshen was a legend of Canadian sports broadcasting, a great teammate, and an essential part of TSN for the last three decades,” said Stewart Johnston, Senior Vice President, Sales & Sports, Bell Media.

“A larger-than-life personality, Darren’s incredible sense of humour and magnetic energy made him a natural broadcaster who connected easily with viewers. His enthusiasm reminded us every day of why we love sports. Most significantly, Darren was a friend to all of us at TSN, and we will miss him dearly. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with his loved ones.”

One of Canada’s most popular and engaging sports personalities, Dutchyshen began his TSN career in 1995, hosting weekend editions of SportsDesk and CFL Live.

Dutchyshen became a beloved mainstay on TSN’s flagship news program over the next three decades, hosting the late night editions of SportsCentre alongside co-anchor Rod Smith and later with Jennifer Hedger.

Dutchyshen played a key role in the Kraft Celebration Tour, taking SportsCentre on the road across the country for several years, and was the co-host of the boxing show In This Corner with Canadian trainer and cutman Russ Anber. He also hosted Olympic Prime Time on TSN during the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games and London 2012 Summer Games.

Born in Regina and raised in Porcupine Plain, Sask., Dutchyshen’s first job as a sportscaster was with STV in Saskatoon, followed by a stint with IMTV in Dauphin, Man. He also spent seven years as the host of ITV’s Sports Night in Edmonton.

“He passed as he was surrounded by his closest loved ones,” the Dutchyshen family said. “His sharp wit remained until his final moments, classically delivering plenty of jokes – most of them pretty good and all of them inappropriate.”