Dale Meeks: Ant and Dec lead tributes to Emmerdale and Byker Grove star, who has died aged 48

TV presenters Ant and Dec person led tributes to their erstwhile Byker Grove co-star Dale Meeks, who has died astatine the property of 48.

The histrion starred successful the BBC teen play arsenic Greg, person of Denton Burn, the rivals to the Byker Grove younker club.

But helium was champion known for playing Simon Meredith successful the ITV soap Emmerdale betwixt 2003 and 2006.

He died from bosom nonaccomplishment connected Saturday evening astatine South Tyneside hospital, his member Philip Meeks told PA news.

"My bosom is broken," helium said, confirming his member had been owed to crook 49 adjacent month.

Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly, who portrayed PJ and Duncan successful Byker Grove astatine the commencement of their careers, tweeted connected Sunday: "We are truthful incredibly atrocious to perceive the precise bittersweet quality of Dale's passing.

"He was the loveliest of guys, adjacent though helium was a Denton 'Burner', the arch nemesis of the Byker 'Grovers'!"

They added: "A bittersweet nonaccomplishment astatine specified a young age. RIP Dale. Sleep good bonny lad."

Responding to the tribute from the personage duo, his member told the quality bureau "That's perfectly lovely.

"I benignant of retrieve gathering them arsenic kids myself. He [Dale] was successful Byker Grove, He made 1 of them blind, not successful existent life."

Born successful South Shields, Meeks was a prima of some surface and stage, performing successful The Producers, Chicago and A Christmas Carol, arsenic good arsenic a West End accumulation of Love Never Dies.

In Emmerdale, his character, the affable fish-monger Simon was romantically linked to Nicola King (played by Nicola Wheeler) but near the fictional Yorkshire colony to commencement a caller unrecorded successful Costa Rica.

He was besides a singer, winning ITV's Stars successful Their Eyes Celebrity Special, alongside chap Emmerdale histrion Mark Charnock arsenic the Blues Brothers.

His past TV quality came successful a tiny relation successful ITV's The Hunt For Raoul Moat past week.

News of his decease was archetypal confirmed by a household subordinate connected Facebook connected Sunday.

"So unbelievably sad," the station read. "Brother-in-law, mucca, broadside footwear and conscionable the BEST person a lad could person wished for. RIP Dale Meeks. So overmuch little to laughter astir present you're not determination to stock it with."

"Thanks everyone for each the beauteous messages and memories you person been sharing," it continued.

"The enactment of Dale's friends has been truthful incredibly beardown implicit these chaotic, heart-breaking last hours, I tin lone basal successful awe."

Meek's different credits see roles successful Casualty, Inspector George Gently and the Tracey Beaker spin-off The Dumping Ground.

His chap histrion Nick Miles, who plays Jimmy King successful Emmerdale, added his tribute, tweeting: "Such bittersweet news. He was a beauteous generous man. RIP."