Ant and Dec have led tributes to Emmerdale and Byker Grove star Dale Meeks after his tragic death.
The actor recently appeared in the ITV drama The Hunt for Raoul Moat, which aired earlier this month.
The South Shields star was due to turn 49 next month.
Dale Meeks death: Actor died at age of 48
Phillip Meeks has confirmed the death of this brother Dale Meeks, who has died at the age of 48.
He died from heart failure on Saturday evening (April 22, 2023) at South Tyneside hospital.
Speaking to PA News, Phillip said: “My heart is broken.”
Dale’s brother-in-law first confirmed the news of his death on Facebook on Sunday.
The post read: “So unbelievably sad. Brother-in-law, mucca, side kick and just the BEST friend a lad could have wished for. RIP Dale Meeks. So much less to laugh about now you’re not there to share it with.”
It continued: “Thanks everyone for all the beautiful messages and memories you have been sharing. The support of Dale’s friends has been so incredibly strong over these chaotic, heart-breaking final hours, I can only stand in awe.”
Celebrities pay tribute to Dale Meeks
TV presenters and Dale’s former Byker Grove co-stars Ant and Dec have led tributes to Dale following the upsetting news.
Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly, who portrayed PJ and Duncan in Byker Grove, tweeted: “We are so incredibly sorry to hear the very sad news of Dale’s passing. He was the loveliest of guys, even though he was a Denton ‘Burner’, the arch nemesis of the Byker ‘Grovers’!”
They added: “A sad loss at such a young age. RIP Dale. Sleep well bonny lad.”
Emmerdale actor Nick Miles, who plays Jimmy King in the soap, tweeted: “Such sad news. He was a lovely generous man. RIP.”
Theatre actress Dianne Pilkington wrote: “I couldn’t properly process this last night. Dear dear lovely friend Dale Meeks. You were so kind, funny and loved. A terrible shock and loss.”
What was late actor famous for?
Dale Meeks starred in the BBC teen drama Byker Grove as Greg. The character was the leader of Denton Burn, the rivals to the Byker Grove youth club.
In one storyline, Dale’s character Greg made “one of Ant and Dec’s characters blind”.
It was Dale’s first acting role, and he played the part from 1990 to 1992.
Emmerdale fans will know Dale best for playing Simon Meredith in the ITV soap between 2003 and 2006.
Fishmonger Simon was romantically linked to Nicola King (played by Nicola Wheeler) but left the fictional Yorkshire village to start a new live in Costa Rica.
Singer and actor Dale also appeared in many theatre productions and musicals, including The Producers, Chicago and A Christmas Carol. He also starred in the West End production of Love Never Dies.
He won ITV’s Stars in Their Eyes Celebrity Special, alongside fellow Emmerdale actor Mark Charnock as the Blues Brothers in 2005.
His last ever TV appearance was in ITV’s The Hunt For Raoul Moat last week. He played Raoul’s friend Rory Sutcliffe in the controversial dramatisation.
Other notable roles included Hips in Breeze Block, Ned Wheeler in Tilly Trotter, and Inspector George Gently. He also appeared in Casualty, and the Tracey Beaker spin-off The Dumping Ground.
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Watch Dale Meeks in his last ever TV appearance in The Hunt for Raoul Moat, currently available to watch on ITVX.
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