Emmerdale and Byker Grove star Dale Meeks dies aged 47 after 'heartbreaking final hours'
msn.comREAD MORE:Jonnie Irwin furious as he 'pulls himself off sickbed' to watch SpursThe Geordie actor was best known for his role as Simon Meredith in Emmerdale from 2003.
His character was in a tumultuous relationship with Nicola King (Nicola Wheeler) which eventually ended when Nicola tried to seduce Simon's best friend.
He left the soap in 2006 when his character jetted to Costa Rica. Dale also starred opposite Ant and Dec on the BBC drama Byker Grove.
He played the leader of a gang from rival youth club, Denton Burn, for five series. The duo, who played PJ and Duncan on the programme, tweeted: "We are so incredibly sorry to hear the very sad news of Dale's passing. "He was the loveliest of guys, even though he was a Denton 'Burner', the arch nemesis of the Byker 'Grovers'!
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