So Awkward actor Archie Lyndhurst dies aged 19
UK actor Archie Lyndhurst has passed away at the age of 19 after a short illness.
The So Awkward star’s father, Only Fools and Horses actor Nicholas Lyndhurst, and his wife, Lucy released a statement saying: “Lucy and I are utterly grief stricken and respectfully request privacy”'.
Archie, who had been acting since the age of 10, is believed to have been found dead at the family’s West London home.
CBBC head of content Cheryl Taylor told The Guardian he was "such a talented young actor".
"All of us at BBC Children's are devastated. He will be greatly missed by us all and our deepest condolences go out to his family and friends at this time.”
Archie played a young Jack Whitehall in Bad Education in 2014 and had been acting in the role of Ollie Coulton on the BBC Kids show So Awkward since 2015.
Jack took to his Instagram account today to write: “I write this with an extremely heavy heart. Archie Lyndhurst came In to my life nearly ten years ago, playing the young me in a short film I’d written. He was brilliant, so talented and funny. An utter joy to work with. So much so that it proved to be the start of a wonderful partnership, we did a skit at the London Palladium, he played me again in a sketch for my arena tour and special, and when we needed to find an actor to play the young Alfie Wickers in Bad Education it was the easiest piece of casting we ever had to do.
“Every time I worked with Archie he was the same - passionate, generous and pitch perfect, he was loved by everyone on set. I have no doubt he would have had a long and illustrious career and would have continued lighting up the lives of all those who encountered him.
“The enthusiastic and talented boy I met all those years ago had grown into an equally charming young man, during lockdown he would take shopping and groceries to my parents house for them when they couldn’t leave the house, it’s testament to what a wonderful and kind person he was. The world has been robbed of a truly special soul. He will never be forgotten, i feel utterly devastated that he is gone but i also feel so blessed to have met him. Goodbye Archie.”
In 2019, Archie and his father, Nicholas, appeared in an episode of the sitcom together, which centred around a group of school kids.
John Challis, who played Aubrey "Boycie" Boyce in Only Fools And Horses took to his Twitter account to call Archie's death "the saddest news of all".
“The death of Archie Lyndhurst,just starting out on his chosen career in acting. My heart aches for Nick and Lucy.They could not have loved him more,” he wrote.
Cleo Demetriou, who plays Lily Hampton on the show, alos paid tribute to Archie on Instagram, writing: “You were the most beautiful soul I have ever known, the most unique, loving and caring person on this planet. My heart is completely broken knowing I that I can never see you again, never speak to you again and never hug you again. “
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