Friday Night Dinner star Tamsin Greig has said her late co-star Paul Ritter’s appearance in an upcoming celebration of the show is a “testament to his courage”.
The two actors played Jackie and Martin Goodman in all six series of the Channel 4 comedy, with Tamsin among those to pay tribute to Paul when he died earlier this month.
Prior to his death, Paul filmed an appearance in an anniversary special celebrating 10 years of Friday Night Dinner, which is set to debut on Channel 4 later this month.
Tamsin has admitted she tried to convince Paul not to take part in the episode due to his illness, but concluded that his involvement was a “testament” to his character.
She said (via Metro): “I’m sure you know that very recently we lost our dear and most cherished friend Paul Ritter, who plays Martin Goodman in Friday Night Dinner. We all miss him terribly, an incredible actor, a true friend and a lovely human being.
“Sadly at the time of making the documentary, Paul was pretty unwell and to be honest – and don’t tell the producers this – but I did try and persuade him not to do the interview.
“But it is testament to Paul’s courage and generosity and dignity and complete lack of vanity that he wanted to participate in the documentary, to do an interview, and to really celebrate this little world that he’s been a part of and that he’s enjoyed so much over the years.”
She added: “I know that Paul would all want us to sit back and laugh and enjoy this celebration of the Friday Night Dinner universe and say, as we do, in his memory, ‘Shalom’.”
Paul died last month at the age of 54, with a representative confirming he had been “suffering from a brain tumour”.
Tamsin paid tribute in a piece for The Guardian shortly after Paul’s death, writing: “The world is a less brilliant place without Paul in it. Go lightly, my friend. You are deeply beloved.”
As well as Friday Night Dinner, Paul was known for his his roles in the James Bond film Quantum Of Solace and Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince, as well as the TV drama Chernobyl.
