https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-46365439 SpongeBob SquarePants creator Stephen Hillenburg has died at the age of 57. The news was confirmed by Nickelodeon, which has broadcast the hugely popular cartoon series since 1999. In a statement, the company said Hillenburg's cause of death was motor neurone disease (also known as ALS) - a condition he revealed he had been diagnosed with in March last year. As well as creating the character, Hillenburg also directed 2004's The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie.