The Bafta TV Awards has paid tribute to North East star Dale Meeks.
Tributes poured in after the South Tyneside star died at the age of 48 last month from heart failure.
The actor had been a recognisable face on stage and screen for the last three decades, starring alongside Ant and Dec in Byker Grove in the 90s, before being a very familiar face in soapland as Simon Meredith in Emmerdale.
READ MORE: PIP, DLA and other benefit claimants could be entitled to free driving lessons
Now, the Bafta TV Awards have paid tribute to the star in a montage honouring famous faces who have sadly died in the last year.
Stars including talk show host Jerry Springer, Strictly Come Dancing’s Len Goodman and presenter and drag queen Paul O’Grady, Doctor Who actor Bernard Cribbins, comedian Barry Humphries, Hi-De-Hi! actress Ruth Madoc were also named in the ceremony.
Like Ant and Dec, fellow North East performer Dale got his big TV break in hit CBBC show Byker Grove back in the early 90s, playing one of the Grovers' arch rivals from neighbouring youth club Denton Burn.
Dale then went onto star in Emmerdale and on stage in Chicago and Love Never Dies, before making a TV return to appear as one of Moat's friends in the true crime drama about the killer and his victims.
Read Next:
- Two people die in devastating County Durham house fire as investigators arrive on scene
- Former NUFC player has banning order lifted after court finds pre-match disorder was not football related
- John Henry Sayers 'attack': Number of arrests reach 48 as 'long-running' murder plot probe continues
- Warrant issued for brazen North Shields thief who ran into shop and stole £160-worth of coats
- Watch Nikki Allan's murderer tell police he took another child to the scene of crime days earlier
