Jenny McCarthy and Kim Kardashian West have led tributes to Hugh Hefner.

Jenny McCarthy

Jenny McCarthy

The 44-year-old star - who started her career as a nude model in Playboy magazine in 1993 - thanked the late businessman, who died from "natural causes" aged 91 on Wednesday (27.09.17), for changing her life for the better and insisted he was a "revolutionary".

Jenny - a former Playmate of the Year - tweeted a picture of her Playboy cover and wrote: "RIP #Hef Thank you for being a revolutionary and changing so many people's lives, especially mine. I hope I made you proud. #PMOY 94 (sic)

Kim, who has also featured on the cover of the publication, admitted Hugh will be "greatly missed".

She tweeted: "RIP to the legendary Hugh Hefner! I'm so honored to have been a part of the Playboy team! You will be greatly missed! Love you Hef! Xoxo (sic)"

Following the news of Hugh's death, the 'Keeping Up With the Kardashians' star and Paris Hilton began sharing stories from their time inside the famous Playboy Mansion, where Hugh used to hold wild parties with his Playboy Playmates and other scantily-clad beauties.

Kim tweeted: "Paris & I are reminiscing about the Playboy parties at the mansion & how much we love Hef. She's texts me the perfect Hef emojis (sic)"

Paris was also devastated about the magazine publisher's death, admitting she will "miss him dearly".

In a caption for a trio of pictures of her and Hefner, she wrote: "So sad to hear the news about @HughHefner. He was a #Legend, innovator & one of a kind. We had so many fun & incredible memroies together. I will miss him dearly. Rest In Peace my friend. (sic)"

Heidi Montag, who also starred on the cover of Playboy, thanked the founder of the magazine and sent prayers to his wife, Crystal Hefner, 31, who he married in 2012.

She tweeted: "RIP @hughhefner thank you for making me part of the Playboy family. Sending lots of love and prayers to @crystalhefner (sic)"

A rep for the Playboy Enterprises founder confirmed he had "peacefully passed away" on Wednesday.

They said in a statement: "Hugh M. Hefner, the American icon who in 1953 introduced the world to Playboy magazine and built the company into one of the most recognizable American global brands in history, peacefully passed away today from natural causes at his home, The Playboy Mansion, surrounded by loved ones."

KISS frontman Gene Simmons tweeted an old picture of Hefner and wrote: "A great man, entrepreneur and innovator. Your legacy lives on. #Hef (sic)"

Rob Lowe wrote: "I had a number of great conversations and with Hugh Hefner. Was such an interesting man. True legend. What an end of an era! (sic)"

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