Walters, Fry lead Postlethwaite tributes

Tributes have begun to pour in for the late actor Pete Postlethwaite, who has passed away at the age of 64.

His ex-girlfriend Julie Walters praised him for being "the most exciting, exhilarating actor of his generation", according to BBC News.

She added: "I saw him in Coriolanus and it was the most terrifying, wonderful performance I have ever seen. The audience were privileged to see it."

Elsewhere, Stephen Fry wrote on his Twitter page: "The loss of the great Pete Postlethwaite is a very sad way to begin a year."

Also on Twitter, Simon Pegg described Postlethwaite as "one of our finest actors". Lord Prescott wrote that his performances his Brassed Off and Age of Stupid in particular "had a real effect on me and our government."

Bill Nighy - who began his career alongside Postlethwaite in the early 1970s - said that the actor was "a rare and remarkable man".

"I was honoured by his friendship - he is irreplaceable."