Paul Ritter has died last night at the age of 54.
The Friday Night Dinner star, who also appeared in Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince, died at home surrounded by loved ones after battling a brain tumour.
“It is with great sadness we can confirm that Paul Ritter passed away last night,” his agent confirmed.
“He died peacefully at home with his wife Polly and sons Frank and Noah by his side. He was 54 and had been suffering from a brain tumour.
The actor's agent added: “Paul was an exceptionally talented actor playing an enormous variety of roles on stage and screen with extraordinary skill. He was fiercely intelligent, kind and very funny. We will miss him greatly.”
Paul was best known for playing Jonny and Adam Goodman's dad Martin Goodman throughout all six seasons of Friday Night Dinner. He leaves behind a legacy of iconic phrases such as: "That's a lovely bit of squirrel" and "Oh sh** on it!"
The actor is also expected to appear posthumously in the 10th-anniversary special called 'You Look Nice: The True Story of Friday Night Dinner' later this year.
Reflecting on his odd, shirtless character during an interview last year, he had even revealed that he had never once imagined that he'd be going topless on screen for almost a decade.
He told the Radio Times: "The topless idea was explained to me quite early on and like a fool I said, "Yeah, fine." One leaves one's dignity at the door, I guess. There's a great quote from Bert Kwouk talking about the Pink Panther films. He said 'Always take the work seriously but not yourself." That's what I've tried to do."
Aside from his comedy work, Paul had been a staple on television since the nineties and has appeared in a host of shows including The Bill, No Occence, Vera and Chernobyl.
The actor had also worked alongside Daniel Craig as the character Guy Haines in Quantum Of Solace.
Aside from his contribution to television and film, Paul was also considered a true force on stage and had been previously nominated for an Olivier award in 2006 and Tony award a few years later.
Tributes have quickly poured in the for star after his agent confirmed that Paul had sadly passed away.
Black Mirror's Michael Smiley penned a touching message: ‘Really sad news, a hero in our house, a brilliant actor, just flawless performances. Friday Night Dinner will never be the same. RIP Paul Ritter. Sending prayers and thoughts to his loved ones.
"Paul Ritter man. In a sea of outstanding performances he stood out in Chernobyl and has portrayed one of, if not the, best comic character of the last ten years. What a fantastic body of work to leave behind," penned another fan.
"Martin Goodman is one of the genuinely great television characters. To quote the great man- "Oh, s*** on it!" added another.
A third wrote: "Part of what made Friday Night Dinner so great was how true to life the comedy was. Everyone could see part of their family in the characters, especially Paul Ritter’s portrayal of Martin."
The talented actor has been surivived by his wife Polly and their two sons, Frank and Noah.
