#Paul Ritter Dies; Chernobyl Star Was 54

Chernobyl actor Paul Ritter has died.

He was 54.

Deadline is reporting that the actor passed away due to a brain tumor.

The actor appeared in several TV shows and movies, including the aforementioned Chernobyl, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and Quantum of Solace.

He is probably most well known to UK audiences for his role on the Channel 4 comedy series Friday Night Dinner. He played family patriarch Martin Goodman on the series from 2011-20.

Robert Popper, the creator of the sitcom, tweeted the following:

“Devastated at this terribly sad news. Paul was a lovely, wonderful human being. Kind, funny, super caring and the greatest actor I ever worked with.”

Ritter filmed a retrospective special for the comedy series to celebrate its 10th anniversary, and the special is set to air this year.

Ritter played the role of Anatoly Dyatlov in the award-winning HBO/Sky drama series Chernobyl.

He won much praise for the role.

“It is with great sadness we can confirm that Paul Ritter passed away last night,” said his agent.

“He died peacefully at home with his wife Polly and sons Frank and Noah by his side. He was 54 and had been suffering from a brain tumour.

“Paul was an exceptionally talented actor playing an enormous variety of roles on stage and screen with extraordinary skill. He was fiercely intelligent, kind and very funny. We will miss him greatly.”

“Paul Ritter was one of the most versatile & brilliant actors that has ever drawn breath. If Paul Ritter was in something, it made it good. This is horrendous news,” actor Sanjeev Kohli tweeted in response to the sad news.

“Knocked it out of the PARK in Chernobyl. Watching it I consciously thought, “Oh, we have a new movie star.” Between that & how funny he was in Friday Night Dinner… just unreal talent. Rest in peace, Paul Ritter,” Rob Delaney tweeted.

“Trying to find a way to talk about Paul Ritter and struggling. My friend since we were students together. So much talent and it shone from him even as a teenager. I was so lucky to know him and lucky too to work with him many times over the years. Wonderful man. RIP,” wrote Stephen Mangan on Twitter.

May he rest in peace.

Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.