Tributes have been flooding in after the death of Emmerdale star Dale Meeks was announced tonight.
Aged just 47, his death was announced via a Facebook post from a family member. Dale Meeks played Simon Meredith in Emmerdale between 2003 and 2006.
He also starred in 'Byker Grove' as Greg in the 1990s and played Rory Sutcliffe in ITV's The Hunt for Raoul Moat, reports Chronicle Live.
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A relative announced his death in a post which 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."
Dale's relative added: "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."
Dale 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. Another one of Dale's memorable TV appearances came as he and his Emmerdale co-star Mark Charnock won Celebrity Stars in their Eyes as the Blues Brothers, with Dale also being the frontman of South Tyneside blues act Shake Your Tail Feather.
way from TV, Dale toured the country in the cast of Chicago and also had a role in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Love Never Dies.
Tributes flooded in for Dale on Facebook, with fellow South Tyneside performer Stephen Sullivan left heartbroken by Dale's passing, as he wrote: "Dale Meeks was an inspiration to me, watching the band when I was younger, watching him perform on stage, seeing him on the telly box and working with him. He was such a talent. He had so much more to give. He was loved and respected more than he knew. The last time I worked with him was an absolute joy."
Stephen added: "It hasn’t sunk in yet and today has been somewhat of a blur. Dale, you will be dearly missed, you had a heart as big as your talent and a sense of humour and laugh bigger than both!"
There were also tributes to Dale on Twitter, with one social media user writing: "Gutted to hear the news about @dalemeeks RIP as another tweeted: "Rest in Peace Dale Meeks. A huge shock xxx"
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