Martin Freeman pays tribute to his 'gentle' and kind' co-star Bernard Hill ... trends now
Martin Freeman has paid tribute to his co-star Bernard Hill as a 'gentle' and 'kind' man following his death at the age of 79.
The actor, who starred alongside Martin in BBC police drama The Responder, died in the early hours of May 5, his agent confirmed.
Bernard was best known to audiences for his role as King Theodon in The Lord Of The Rings trilogy and he also played Captain Edward J. Smith in Titantic.
Martin, 52, reflected on his working relationship with Bernard during an appearance on The One Show on Thursday.
He said: 'It was delightful, it was really lovely. I think, you know, when he came on set he's sort of, you know, he was from Manchester but he was Liverpool royalty, having played Yosser Hughes in Boys from the Blackstuff like 40 years ago.
Martin Freeman has paid tribute to his co-star Bernard Hill as a 'gentle' and 'kind' man following his death at the age of 79
The actor, who starred alongside Martin in BBC police drama The Responder, died in the early hours of May 5, his agent confirmed
'He was loved in that city. And for us and the cast and crew, he was a really gentle kind, sort of playful man with a twinkle in his eye. And I loved working with him, it felt like a real…
'Well, now, of course, it's his last performance so I mean for us, it's devastating he's not here to see, to sort of reap the rewards of what he did because what he did is so good.
'But I'm glad that his last thing was something he cared about and loved so much. We were very lucky to have him.'
Martin appeared on the show with fellow The Responder star Adelayo Adedayo.
Bernard first become familiar to many in the UK for his emotive and bold performance as Yosser Hughes in the 1980s drama Boys from the Blackstuff, a role that also brought him to the attention of Hollywood.
His passing comes hours before he was due to return to TV in Martin Freeman drama The Responder, which airs on BBC One tonight.
Tributes have been paid to the thespian, with praise for his 'incredible talent' and a career that saw him 'blaze a rail across the screen'.
Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama, said: 'Bernard Hill blazed a trail across the screen, and his long-lasting career filled with iconic and remarkable roles is a testament to his incredible talent.
Martin said: 'For us and the cast and crew, he was a really gentle kind, sort of playful man with a twinkle in his eye. And I loved working with him'
Martin appeared on the show with fellow The Responder star Adelayo Adedayo (also pictured with fellow guests Elizabeth and Damian Hurley)
'From Boys from the Blackstuff, to Wolf Hall, The Responder, and many more, we feel truly honoured to have worked with Bernard at the BBC. Our thoughts are with his loved ones at this sad time.'
Actress and musician Barbara Dickson, who starred with him in a musical based on the
