Archie Lyndhurst, the only child of Only Fools and Horses actor Nicholas Lyndhurst, has been found dead at his family home in West London aged only 19.
The teenager, who had been acting since the age of 11, starred in the hit CBBC show So Awkward as Ollie Coulton and was dating co-star Nethra Tilakumara.
Archie, from Fulham, also appeared as a young Jack Whitehall in TV's Bad Education in 2014 and voiced a character in the video game Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward.
Archie, who also once played a young Michael Gambon, had been with Tilakumara for a year in April and they posted photographs on holidays in Amsterdam and Paris.
His father Nicholas famously played Rodney Trotter alongside Sir David Jason as his brother 'Del Boy' in the long-running BBC comedy Only Fools and Horses.
A BBC spokesman confirmed this morning that Archie had 'very sadly died after a short illness' and Scotland Yard said his death was 'unexplained but not suspicious'.
Series six of So Awkward, a sitcom about a group of schoolchildren, is currently airing on CBBC with a new episode scheduled to be broadcast at 5pm today.
Archie Lyndhurst, 19, has been found dead at his family home in Fulham, West London
Only Fools and Horses star Nicholas Lyndhurst with his wife Lucy Smith and son Archie at the National Film Awards in London in March 2017
Archie and his girlfriend Nethra Tilakumara, wearing Batman and Robin costumes - just like his father did playing Rodney alongside Sir David Jason as Del Boy in Only Fools and Horses
Archie appeared with his father Nicholas Lyndhurst in an episode of CBBC drama So Awkward
Lyndhurst, 59, and his wife Lucy Lyndhurst celebrated their 21st wedding anniversary a month ago and also have a house in Chichester, West Sussex.
Mrs Lyndhurst, who declined to comment at the family home in Fulham this morning, today replied to an Instagram post about Archie's death by Game of Thrones star Samuel Small, writing: 'He will love you and watch over you forever.'
Archie Lyndhurst's nine-year acting CV
Only Fools and Horses star John Challis, who played Aubrey 'Boycie' Boyce in the show, tweeted: 'The saddest news of all today. The death of Archie Lyndhurst, just starting out on his chosen career in acting. My heart aches for Nick and Lucy. They could not have loved him more.'
A BBC spokesman said: 'We're so sorry to have to tell you that Archie Lyndhurst, who so brilliantly played Ollie in So Awkward on CBBC, has very sadly died after a short illness.
'Archie will be hugely missed by all who worked with him, and by all the fans who laughed along with Ollie in the show.'
Police officers and paramedics were called to his family home in Fulham on September 22 following reports of a 'concern for welfare'.
Archie, who had a brief role in Casualty in 2018, was declared dead at the scene in an 'unexplained but not suspicious' death which is not being investigated by police, who have passed a file to the coroner.
His friend Small, who was also in So Awkward as Rob Edwards, said in a tribute: 'To my brother Archie. I still can't quite comprehend that you have passed.
'You still had so much life to live and I'd give anything for you to keep on living it.
'My heart aches all day and everyday thinking about you and I just wish I could talk to you just one more time so you could know how much I loved you.
'I vow to make you proud with every last breath. Love you from now until infinity. Rest in power bro.'
Small, who was in BBC drama The Nest, had a minor role in Game of Thrones as 'Little Bird' in The Mountain and the Viper, which was episode eight of season two.
He added: 'I wish you could've all known Archie how we knew him. I've never met someone so full of life and had touched so many peoples' hearts.
Archie's mother Lucy today replied to an Instagram post about his death by Game of Thrones star Samuel Small, writing: 'He will love you and watch over you forever'
Archie was found dead on September 22 at the Lyndhurst family home in Fulham, West London
Archie and his girlfriend Miss Tilakumara, who were in CBBC series So Awkward together
'To be honest, I still can't find the words that do him justice and show how much of a beautiful soul he was, but his mission was to make as many people happy as he could and trust me, he really really did.'
'My heart aches': Stars react to Archie's death
'You were the light in the room, even on a bad day, and brought all of us together'
Sophia Dall'aglio, So Awkward actress
'You still had so much life to live and I'd give anything for you to keep on living it'
Samuel Small, So Awkward actor
'My heart aches for Nick and Lucy. They could not have loved him more'
John Challis, Only Fools and Horses actor
'He will be greatly missed by us all and our deepest condolences go out to his family and friends at this time'
Cheryl Taylor, CBBC head of content
'As well as hilarious, he was a generous, kind-hearted young man who we had the honour to work with on the show for seven years'
Channel X North, So Awkward production company
Sophia Dall'aglio, who plays Martha Fitzgerald in So Awkward, said: 'You were the light in the room, even on a bad day, and brought all of us together.
'It's true, things won't be the same without you, but while you were here you did nothing but your best to make people happy.
'The biggest heart I've ever known, thank you so much for changing my life in the seven years we had together. I'm so grateful.'
Archie, who had a clothing label called Fated to Pretend inspired by his skating hobby, said in an interview in March with TresA magazine: 'I knew I wanted to be an actor when I was eight.
'At the time, I didn't know my dad was an actor, and he kept trying to say to me that I shouldn't start acting. I then found out that he was an actor and said that if he can do it, I can do it as well.
'That didn't change anything though as he still wouldn't let me do it. He eventually asked me why I wanted to be an actor, and I said it's because I wanted to make people laugh.
'He then sent me to drama school, I got my first agent, I started getting work, and now I'm here. I'm incredibly grateful for everything I've been given.'
Speaking about Jack Whitehall, Archie added: 'Jack's funny. He saw my audition tape when I was 11 and him and his mum emailed me a picture of Jack when he was eleven and we looked so similar.
'I knew that if I didn't get this job, I didn't know what was going on. I ended up getting it and me and Jack got on really well, and we still do. Since then, he just keeps asking me to do things - I don't know why.'
In an interview with August 2015, Lyndhurst said: 'I became a different person overnight when I had my son – terrified.
'You could call me a helicopter parent, but now Archie's 14, I'm learning to back off. The biggest casualty was probably my career. I mean that in a wonderful way.
Only Fools and Horses star John Challis, who played 'Boycie' in the show, tweeted: 'The saddest news of all today. The death of Archie Lyndhurst, just starting out on his chosen career in acting. My heart aches for Nick and Lucy. They could not have loved him more.'
'I knew how to make a television programme, but didn't know about fatherhood, so I took three years off. When I went back to work, I thought: it's not fatherhood, is it?'
Lyndhurst added that when Archie told him that he wanted to be an actor, he replied: 'I can't offer any advice other than please don't do it.'
But Archie said: 'Daddy, I just want to entertain people.' Lyndhurst said he told his wife: 'If I ever hear him say the f-word – 'famous' – the deal's off.'
Lyndhurst continued: 'He never has. He's filming his second series for CBBC, So Awkward. I wish I'd been as good as him at his age.'
Mrs Lyndhurst wrote about Archie on Facebook at the time of his 18th birthday a year ago when they went for his first legal drink.
Archie Lyndhurst followed in the acting footsteps of his father Nicholas Lyndhurst
Archie, whose father Nicholas starred in Only Fools and Horses, was declared dead at his home
Archie is pictured with his So Awkward co-star Samuel Small, who paid tribute to him today
She said: 'I can't see me in Archie. Only Nick, but everyone says he's a complete mix. Bless him. He's such a sweetheart. Not sure where 18 years went. Enjoy everything and every second with your children because blink and you miss it.'
Mrs Lyndhurst added: 'We are so lucky to have Archie. Our time with him has been a wonderful journey so far. With bumpy bits included of course.'
Following Archie's first TV appearance in December 2011 in Jack Whitehall's show Little Cracker, Whitehall tweeted that Archie was a 'star of the future'.
CBBC head of content Cheryl Taylor told BBC News he was 'such a talented young actor', adding: 'All of us at BBC Children's are devastated.
'He will be greatly missed by us all and our deepest condolences go out to his family and friends at this time.'
Archie with his father Nicholas Lyndhurst at the Matilda musical press night in London in 2011
Archie with his father Nicholas Lyndhurst in a loving photograph when he was a young boy
Nicholas Lyndhurst starred in the BBC comedy Only Fools and Horses alongside Buster Merryfield as Uncle Albert and Sir David Jason as Derek 'Del Boy' Trotter
Nicholas and Lucy Lyndhurst celebrated their 21st wedding anniversary a month ago
Following Archie's first TV appearance in December 2011 in Jack Whitehall's show Little Cracker, Whitehall tweeted that Archie was a 'star of the future'.
Archie, who began his acting career at the Sylvia Young Theatre School, was said by his father in 2013 to have inherited the 'acting gene'.
Channel X North, the independent production company that makes So Awkward, said it was 'deeply shocked and saddened' by Archie's death.
A spokesman said: 'He was an incredibly talented performer and his contribution to So Awkward, on and off screen, will not be forgotten.
'As well as hilarious, he was a generous, kind-hearted young man who we had the honour to work with on the show for seven years. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time.'
Author Steve Clark, who wrote 2009 book Only Fools and Horses: The Inside Story, tweeted: 'I am incredibly sad to learn that Archie Lyndhurst has died.
'My thoughts are with his dad and mum, Nicholas and Lucy. I know just how proud they were of Archie and I cannot begin to imagine what they are going through.'
A spokesman for the Only Fools and Horses Appreciation Society said: 'We would like to express our heartfelt sadness and warm wishes to the family of Nicholas and Lucy Lyndhurst on the tragic news on the loss of their beloved son Archie.'
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: 'Police were called at approximately 9.41am on Tuesday, September 22 to a report of a concern for welfare.
'Officers and London Ambulance Service attended. At the scene a man was found unresponsive. He was declared dead at the scene.
'His next of kin are aware. At this stage the death is treated as unexplained but not suspicious. A post-mortem will take place in due course.'
