TAIPEI - Veteran Taiwanese host Ho I-hang has died of colon cancer at the age of 64.

The news of his death shocked many in the Taiwanese entertainment industry as Ho, whose real name was Tseng Hsin-min, was still actively working and had just moved into a new home.

Ho was in the middle of filming the I Love Bing Bing Show last month when he said he needed time off due to gallstones. News of his sudden death on Monday (June 3) broke soon after.

One of Taiwan's most famous personalities alongside late comedian Chu Ke-liang in Taiwan's cabaret scene popular in the 1970s and 1980s, Ho was diagnosed with third stage colon cancer in 2011 and underwent surgery for his condition.

But he refused to go for any follow-up treatments, appointments or chemotherapy after the surgery. He also did not go for any health check-ups.

Ho died in Taipei Veterans General Hospital after reportedly checking himself into the hospital at the end of May, according to Taiwanese news reports. His cancer had spread to several organs by then and he succumbed to his illness on Monday.

Ho's co-host on the I Love Bing Bing Show, Pai Ping-ping, says: "He must have already been in a lot of pain but wanted to give it his all at the end and take on jobs so that his wife can have a better life after him."

Ho married his wife Judy Huang, who used to work in artist management, in 2010. He has a son - singer-actor Gary Tseng - from a previous relationship.

Ho's life has been marred by several scandals. He battled a gambling addiction and was also detained in jail in 2010 as he was late in paying his taxes. The same year, Ho admitted to hiring prostitutes and drug consumption.

He cleaned up his act after tying the knot with Huang, who he says supported him through the lows in his life, and the couple later converted to Christianity and were baptised.