Jack Whitehall has paid tribute to Archie Lyndhurst, the actor who has died aged 19.
Lyndhurst, the son of Only Fools and Horses star Nicholas Lyndhurst, played Whitehall in a number of productions and became a family friend, helping out Whitehall's parents during lockdown.
Whitehall posted pictures on Instagram and wrote the following: "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."
Archie's mother Lucy replied to thank Jack and added: "I love the picture up the tree. I remember him being asked to move along a bit to make room and he called out “ooo, I’ve snaggged me fishnets now! ” Then not wanting to take the false beard of after the palladium as he wanted to look like you. We shall love him forever and a day and are the luckiest parents to have had the most wonderful unique son who has bought us nothing but joy in our lives."
Picture: instagram
