Andrew Sachs passed away aged 86 yesterday (1 December) after suffering with dementia for years, an actor beloved chiefly for his role of hapless waiter Manuel in Fawlty Towers.

The show’s star, John Cleese, paid tribute to the “sweet, gentle man” on Twitter shortly before he was due to take the stage in Dallas, Texas last night.

"Just heard about Andy Sachs. Very sad," he wrote on Twitter. "I knew he was having problems with his memory as his wife Melody told me a couple of years ago and I heard very recently that he had been admitted to Denham Hall,but I had no idea that his life was in danger.

"A very sweet gentle and kind man and a truly great farceur.I first saw him in Habeas Corpus on stage in 1973.I could not have found a better Manuel. Inspired."

Cleese and Sachs had wonderful chemistry and timing over the two series of Fawlty Towers, playing bungling hotel owner Basil Fawlty and even more bungling waiter Manuel respectively, the show still being cherished as one of the nation’s best sitcoms.

Sachs also appeared in Coronation Street and an Are You Being Served? movie, and did voice work on That Peter Kay Thing, The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The Count of Monte Cristo and more.