'Saved By The Bell' star Dustin Diamond dies of cancer at 44, co-stars pay tributes

Dustin Diamond, best known for playing the quirky and nerdy Screech on the hit ’90s sitcom Saved By the Bell, passed away due to cancer at the age of 44. The actor was hospitalised last month in Florida and his team disclosed later that he had cancer. Diamond was suffering from carcinoma. He was seen in a handful of reality television series including the fifth season of Celebrity Fit Club, The Weakest Link and Celebrity Boxing 2. In December 2013, Dustin Diamond appeared on an episode of OWN's Where Are They Now? and became a house member in the 12th season of Celebrity Big Brother in the UK.

Also Read: Dustin Diamond Aka 'Screech' Admitted To Hospital With Possible Cancer: Report

Saved By The Bell

The sitcom, Saved by the Bell aired from 1989 to 1993. The show ended up having three spin-offs including Saved by the Bell: The College Years, Good Morning, Miss Bliss and Saved by the Bell: The New Class, which had Dustin Diamond in it as Screech. Last fall a sequel was launched on Peacock which starred many actors from the original Saved by the Bell cast such as Elizabeth Berkley, Mario Lopez, Tiffani Thiessen and Mark-Paul Gosselaar. However, Dustin Diamond was not a part of the sequel.

Also Read: Jimmy Fallon & The Roots Remix 'Saved By The Bell' Theme Song With The Cast, Watch

Dustin Diamond's Death

Dustin Diamond died on Monday, February 1. The actor was battling cancer and was diagnosed with stage four small cell carcinoma. The actor fought for three weeks said his representative. The actor’s spokesperson Roger Paul said in a statement that Dustin did not suffer and they are grateful that he did not lie submerged in pain.

Also Read: 'Saved By The Bell' Star Dustin Diamond Diagnosed With Cancer; Read Details

News of Dustin Diamond’s Death

Many came to bid farewell to the actor as soon as the news of his death spread. Dustin’s former co-star Mario Lopez took to Twitter to say farewell.

Another co-star, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, called Diamond "a true comedic genius."

"God speed, Dustin,” co-star Tiffani Thiessen wrote on Instagram.

Josh Gad on Twitter said Diamond was “a defining part of our collective pop-cultural touchstones.”

Dustin Diamond

Dustin was sued several times for delinquent taxes and in foreclosure proceedings for missing mortgage payments. He allegedly made a sex tape and produced a tell-all documentary on Lifetime TV called The Unauthorized Saved by the Bell Story. In 2015, he was sentenced to serve four months in jail for his part in a Wisconsin barroom stabbing. "Dustin was a humorous and high-spirited individual whose greatest passion was to make others laugh. He was able to sense and feel other peoples' emotions to such a length that he was able to feel them too — a strength and a flaw, all in one," Diamond's team said.

Also Read: Dustin Diamond Undergoing Chemotherapy Treatments For Cancer