CBBC star Archie Lyndhurst has died aged 19, after a short illness.
Archie Lyndhurst was best known for his role on the CBBC sitcom So Awkward, where he played Ollie Coulton.
The son of Only Fools and Horses star Nicholas Lyndhurst, Archie appeared together with his father in So Awkward.
He starting acting at the age of ten, at the Sylvia Young Theatre School.
CBBC head of content Cheryl Taylor called Lyndhurst “such a talented young actor”.
“All of us at BBC Children’s are devastated,” she continued. “He will be greatly missed by us all and our deepest condolences go out to his family and friends at this time.”
We're so sorry to have to tell you that Archie Lyndhurst, who so brilliantly played Ollie in So Awkward on CBBC, has very sadly died after a short illness.
Archie will be hugely missed by all who worked with him, and by all the fans who laughed along with Ollie in the show. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/SfXP8TIz2Q— CBBC (@cbbc) October 1, 2020
His death was announced to young fans on the CBBC Twitter account.
The message gave advice for youngsters on how to deal with difficult feelings they might have after hearing the news. “Remember, it is ok to feel upset and shocked. Your feelings are valid. Don’t bottle up your worries, talk to someone about how you feel.”
They also provided the number for Childline.
Channel X North, the production company behind So Awkward, also paid tribute to Archie Lyndhurst: “We are deeply shocked and saddened to hear the news about our friend Archie.
“He was an incredibly talented performer and his contribution to So Awkward, on and off screen, will not be forgotten.
“As well as hilarious, he was a generous, kind-hearted young man who we had the honour to work with on the show for seven years. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time.”
In a 2013 interview, his father said that Archie had inherited the “acting gene” from him.
Archie’s other acting credits include the sitcom Bad Education, and providing a voice for the Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward video game.
So Awkward began in 2015, and the sixth season began airing this year.
