Mark Charnock, 54, yesterday paid a touching tribute to his late friend and Emmerdale co-star Dale Meeks on Twitter.
The actor shared how the pair had shared a “lovely time” together filming a celebrity version of Stars in Their Eyes, which they went on to win, and has been left devastated by his loss.
Typing in view of his 200,000 followers, Mark wrote alongside a snap of the Emmerdale actors performing on stage: “What a time that was, lovely Dale. You carried me through it.
“I was terrified, you were brilliant. What a voice. What a bloke. What a loss. Xx.”
Alongside the post, Mark shared a photo of the pair dressed as the Blues Brothers while competing in Stars in Their Eyes.
Dale, who played Simon Meredith on ITV soap Emmerdale between 2003 and 2006, died from “heart failure” on Saturday evening, his brother Philip Meeks said.
The star was due to turn 49 on the day of the King’s Coronation and died at South Tyneside Hospital in South Shields, his brother added.
Philip said “My heart is broken” as tributes poured in on social media for the actor who has been described as “the loveliest of guys”.
Dale established his career in the teenage BBC drama Byker Grove, alongside Declan Donnelly and Ant McPartlin in the ’90s.
He was a leader of Denton Burn, the rival youth group to the Byker Grove youth club.
The presenting duo, who played 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’!
“A sad loss at such a young age. RIP Dale. Sleep well, bonny lad.”
Responding to the tweet, Philip told PA: “That’s absolutely lovely.
“I sort of remember meeting them as kids myself. He (Dale) was in Byker Grove, he made one of them blind, not in real life.”
More recently, Dale starred in ITV true crime drama The Hunt For Raoul Moat, as Moat’s friend Rory Sutcliffe.
He tweeted about his role in the series and said last Monday: “Sadly watching tonight’s episode from this equally mysterious and sinister location.
“It’s fantastic to feel the love. Thanks gang. Keep it coming xxx.”
For all the latest Entertainment News Click Here
For the latest news and updates, follow us on Google News.
