Paul Ritter dies at 54

Actor Paul Ritter, who played dad Martin Goodman in the popular Channel 4 comedy Friday Night Dinner, has died after a brain tumour at the age of 54.

He also starred in Sky drama Chernobyl, played Eldred Worple in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and was in James Bond film Quantum of Solace.

His other TV credits included Vera, Belgravia, Cold Feet and No Offence.

Friday Night Dinner creator Robert Popper said he was "a deeply clever, funny, intelligent, kind man".

Recalling watching Ritter on set, Popper said: "He was so quiet and focused before he went on, and then as soon as he went on, all that energy just popped out of him. It was amazing.

"I don't think he ever did anything wrong… he was very professional and he was a lovely guy."

Stephen Mangan, who had known Ritter since they were students, co-starred with him in Alan Ayckbourn's The Norman Conquests in the West End and on Broadway. Mangan said he had "so much talent and it shone from him even as a teenager".