TRIBUTES HAVE BEEN paid to the actor and narrator Michael Angelis, following his death aged 76.

Angelis, best known as the long-term narrator of Thomas The Tank Engine series Thomas And Friends, died suddenly while at home with his wife yesterday, his agent said.

He had lent his voice to the children’s TV programme for 13 series, taking over from Ringo Starr in 1991 when the programme was called Thomas The Tank Engine And Friends.

Among those paying tribute to the actor on social media was comedian Matt Lucas, who described Angelis as “one of the greatest TV actors I’ve ever seen”.

Lucas added: “His work with [screenwriter] Alan Bleasdale was tremendous. What a loss.”

Those sentiments were echoed by The Thick Of It writer Simon Blackwell, who described Angelis as “enormously funny”.

Skins screenwriter Jack Thorne shared a tribute to the actor’s work in Boys From The Blackstuff.

Sharing an excerpt from the TV drama’s script, Thorne said: “There’s a moment in it that made my heart stop.”

Angelis was best known to adult audiences for his role as Arnie in September Song, Martin Niarchos in GBH, Lucien Boswell in The Liver Birds and as Mickey Startup in Auf Wiedersehen, Pet.

He also made appearances in Casualty, The Bill, Holby City and Heartbeat.

Born in Liverpool, Angelis first appeared on screen in the 1970s in programmes such as Z Cars, Thirty-Minute Theatre and an episode of Coronation Street, before stints in Minder, World’s End and Boys From The Blackstuff.

He was married to Coronation Street actress Helen Worth, who plays Gail Platt, from 1991 to 2001, and later married Jennifer Khalastchi.