BBC viewers have been left emotional after watching Bernard Hill's latest TV role in The Responder.
This became known on Sunday the actor had died at the age of 79 after pulling out of a Comic Con event in Liverpool.
Most famous for his appearances in Titanic, The Lord of the Rings and Boys from the Blackstuff, Hill's death was reported by the national broadcaster just hours before the release of the second season of the BBC drama, starring Martin Freeman.
In it, Hill played the role of Tom, the father of Martin's character Chis Carson. a police officer who finds himself in the middle of a drug war between two of Liverpool's most dangerous dealers.
Explosive scenes between father and son pit the characters against each other, arguing about their pasts and Tom's violent actions towards his ex-wife.
'The Responder is so brilliant, so happy to be back for a new series. And nice to see the late Bernard Hill make an appearance,” Amy Beth posted on X.
'I couldn't have asked for a more perfect tribute to Bernard Hill. Brilliant two-handed scene with Martin Freeman. Great writing,” Joy shared.
'Strange to see Bernard Hill appear in #TheResponder as Martin Freeman's father on the day he died. RIP Yosser,” Glen added.
Hill said of his character before his death: “It was quite difficult because we hadn't established much of Tom's backstory in series one, so I just let it roll and didn't try to impose anything on him. Martin seemed to do the same in a pretty smooth way, so I picked up from him what parts of the character I needed and that's when Tom's character revealed itself.”
He continued, “Chris wants to be a good father and maybe go against what his own relationship with Tom was. It encourages him to keep going and get better, it gives him a strong sense of motivation to be better than Tom.”
He also explained that he had initially spent time with Freeman when he was filming The Hobbit in New Zealand, with the actor saying they “got on really well.”
Earlier today, director of BBC drama Lindsay Salt shared a statement paying tribute to the actor.
“Bernard Hill blazed a trail across the screen, and his enduring career filled with iconic and remarkable roles is a testament to his incredible talent,” she said.
'From Boys from the Blackstuff to Wolf Hall, The Responder and many more, we feel truly honored to have worked with Bernard at the BBC. Our thoughts are with his loved ones at this sad time.”
The Responder is streaming on BBC iPlayer.
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