Saved By The Bell actor Dustin Diamond has died aged 44 three weeks after being diagnosed with cancer.

Diamond, who played Samuel “Screech” Powers in the popular comedy, was taken to hospital in Florida last month after falling ill.

His death was announced on Monday by Roger Paul, his representative, who said the cause of death was carcinoma.

Mr Paul said: “He was diagnosed with this brutal, relentless form of malignant cancer only three weeks ago. In that time, it managed to spread rapidly throughout his system; the only mercy it exhibited was its sharp and swift execution.

“Dustin did not suffer. He did not have to lie submerged in pain. For that, we are grateful.”

He described Diamond – best known for playing Screech, the nerdy sidekick in Saved By The Bell – as “a character in and of himself: an unpredictable spitfire who always left us shocked, but never left us bored”.

He added: “We are thankful he trusted us enough to share his genuine, authentic self with our team. We wish you knew him in the way that we did.  

“We please ask that you give room for privacy to our team and Mr Diamond’s family during this tragic time, as we grieve and remember the memories spent together. This loss is as much stinging as it is sudden.”

Diamond reprised the role of Screech in follow-up series Saved By The Bell: The New Class and Saved By The Bell: The College Years.

However, Diamond did not appear in the recent revival series which starred several of the show’s original stars.

He was a contestant on the 12th series of Celebrity Big Brother in 2013, and was evicted on day 16.