ITV Vera's Brenda Blethyn flooded with support as star issues tragic death statement

Brenda Blethyn was flooded with messages of support as she issued a heartbreaking statement about the tragic loss of a friend and colleague. The Vera star, 79, took to social media at the weekend and penned a heartfelt tribute to her former co-star and fellow actor, Tchéky Karyo. The renowned French actor - born in Istanbul and raised in Paris - died of cancer on Friday, his agent confirmed. He is survived by his wife, actress Valérie Keruzoré, and their children. The actor died aged 72.

Kayro was best known by UK audiences as TV detective Julien Baptiste in BBC anthology drama The Missing from 2014 to 2016 which was widely-watched and praised at the time as "hauntingly brilliant television". This led to a two-series spin-off, Baptiste.

His career spanned over four decades and he rose to prominence in the 80s in the crime thriller La Balance (1982), for which he landed a César Award for Best Male Revelation. Karyo starred alongside the Vera actress in the 2000 film, Saving Grace, about a woman who starts growing marijuana to save her home from debt.

Taking to X on Saturday, Brenda penned a heartwarming tribute to her late co-star.

The post read: "So sad to hear of the passing of Tcheky Karyo. Lovely actor and sweet man. Rest in peace Tcheky."

Her 78,000 followers rushed to comment on the post as fans offered their condolences.

One said: "The two of you were magic on screen together."

Another remarked: "Such sad news, we watched Saving Grace last night and thoroughly enjoyed it."

"Oh no...this is such sad news. A wonderful actor and human being. God bless him," a third wrote.

A fourth added: "This breaks my heart, met him several times over the years, he was such a genuinely lovely human. He was funny and good fun, gentle & kind. Sleep well dear man, we will miss you. My heartfelt condolences to his loved ones."

Karyo starred in other major movies including Ridley Scott's historical epic 1492: Conquest of Paradise in 1992 and the James Bond film GoldenEye. In 1994's Nostradamus, he played the titular medieval prophet.

In 2000, he starred in Jean Villeneuve's The Patriot, as well as 2004's A Very Long Engagement and 2013's Belle and Sebastian.