MARTIN Freeman has paid tribute to his Responder co-star who died earlier this week.
The 52-year-old honoured Bernard Hill following his death on Sunday aged 79.
Bernard, who is most known for his roles in Lord of the Rings and Titanic, features in the second series of The Responder.
He plays Chris Carson’s (Martin Freeman) estranged father as they come face-to-face for the first time in years during the first episode.
Speaking to Alex Jones and Roman Kemp on The One Show, Martin recalled what it was like working with Bernard.
He said: “It was really lovely. When he came on set… he was from Manchester but he was Liverpool royalty having played Yosser Hughes in Boys From The Black Stuff like 40 years ago.
“He was loved in that city and for us in the cast and crew, he was a real gentle, kind, playful man with a twinkle in his eye.
“I loved working with him. It felt like a real… well, now it’s his last performance so for us it’s devastating that he’s not here to reap the rewards of what he did because what he did was so good.”
Freeman added: “I’m glad that the last thing he did was something he cared about and loved so much. We were lucky to have him.”
Following Bernard’s death, the Director of BBC Drama Lindsay Salt paid tribute in a statement.
She 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.
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“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.”
Bernard was born in Manchester and studied at Manchester Polytechnic School of Drama.
Fans of The Responder can continue to watch Bernard’s last TV appearance on BBC One and iPlayer.
