Ewen MacIntosh, best known for playing Big Keith in The Office, has died aged 50.

The show's creator Ricky Gervais led tributes on social media, calling him ‘very funny and very lovely’ and ‘an absolute original’.

His agents JustRight Management confirmed the news in a statement, saying: ‘With great sadness we announce the peaceful passing of our beloved comedy genius Ewen MacIntosh.

‘His family thank all who supported him, especially Willow Green Care Home. There will be a private cremation for family & close friends soon & a celebratory memorial later in the year.'

MacIntosh was born in Merionethshire, North Wales, on Christmas Day 1973. He got into comedy while studying at the University of Edinburgh, where he was part of The Improverts troupe. He performed a show at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2007 called All Aboard with Ewen MacIntosh, alongside Tim FitzHigham.

His other TV comedy credits include Miranda and Little Britain, Gervais's After Life, and The Lobster film starring Olivia Colman and Colin Farrell. He was also a regular on John Finnimore’s the Radio  4 sitcom Cabin Pressure, playing Carl, a bored air traffic controller.

Actor Rufus Jones, who created the Channel 4 comedy Home wrote on X: 'Thinking of Ewen MacIntosh today, who I’m reading has sadly left us. A familiar and hilarious member of the Edinburgh sketch scene when we all started, and went on to create one of the most iconic scene stealers in tv comedy history. An absolute pleasure of a guy.'

Comedy producer Gina Lyons added: 'Heartbroken to hear a very special friend @ewenmacintosh  has passed away. He was such an incredibly kind and funny person. Eternally loved.'

TV channel Gold said: ‘We loved him as Keith in The Office and were lucky enough to work with him over the years on the channel. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends at such a difficult time.’

MacIntosh's cause of death has not been confirmed.

Here is one of his most memorable scenes in The Office: