Emmerdale and The Hunt for Raoul Moat star Dale Meek has died aged 47. The actor's death was announced by a family member on Facebook, Chronicle Live reports.
The actor played Simon Meredith on the popular ITV soap, which he appeared between 2003 and 2006 and also starred in Byker Grove for five series.
More recently, he starred in ITV Drama The Hunt for Raoul Moat, as Moat's friend Rory Sutcliffe.
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News of his death was broken by a family member on Facebook on Sunday afternoon, in a post that 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."
The post 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, heartbreaking final hours, I can only stand in awe."
Geordie actor Dale has been a recognisable on both the stage and screen for decades, with him appearing in an episode of The Hunt for Raoul Moat in a starring role, which aired just last week. The actor tweeted about his role in the series, which explores the case of Raoul Moat, who went on a two-day shooting spree in Northumbria in 2010, killing his ex's new partner and injuring her and a police officer.
Away from TV, Dale toured the country in the cast of Chicago and also had a role in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Love Never Dies.
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