Dr Ruth Westheimer, who was one of the most famous sex therapists in the United States, has died at the age of 96.

The media star and best-selling author died on Friday at her New York City home, surrounded by her family, according to her publicist and friend Pierre Lehu.

As a 50-something psychiatrist, Westheimer found fame on radio, television and in bookstores during the 1980s by talking honestly in public about once-taboo, bedroom topics.

The 4ft 7in tall celebrity, with a…