Emmerdale actor Dale Meeks dies at age 48
Emmerdale actor Dale Meeks, who most recently appeared in ITV drama The Hunt for Raoul Moat, has died at the age of 48, his family has said. Meeks played the character of Simon Meredith on Emmerdale between 2003 and 2006. In addition, the actor also starred in the teen TV series Byker Grove as Greg, the gang leader of rival youth club Denton Burn. The show launched the careers of several stars, including presenting duo Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly.
The actor’s family is devastated
News of Meeks’ death was shared by a family member on Facebook Sunday afternoon. The post read, «So incredibly sad. Brother-in-law, friend, partner and simply the BEST friend a guy could have wished for. Rest in peace Dale Meeks. There’s so much less to laugh about now that you’re not here to share it.»
The cause of death has not been confirmed.
The cause of death has not been confirmed. McPartlin and Donnelly paid tribute to Meeks on Twitter as «the loveliest guy.» «We are very saddened by the news of Dale’s death,» they wrote. «He was the loveliest boy, despite being a Denton ‘Burner’, the arch nemesis of the Byker ‘Grovers’. A sad loss at such a young age. Rest in peace Dale. Sleep well, handsome boy.»
Appeared on ITV last week
Just last week, Meeks appeared on ITV in The Hunt for Raoul Moat, playing Moat’s friend Rory Sutcliffe. The actor had retweeted posts about the three-part drama based on the true story of the UK’s biggest manhunt, which took place after Moat set off a shooting spree in July 2010.
He was also a singer
In addition to his television roles, Meeks was also a singer and won the ITV television show Stars in Their Eyes Celebrity Special with fellow Emmerdale actor Mark Charnock as the Blues Brothers. He also performed in theatrical productions such as The Producers at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester and A Christmas Carol at the West Yorkshire Playhouse. In addition, he played Amos Hart in the UK tour of the hit show Chicago and appeared in the West End production Love Never Dies.
