Saved by the Bell Star Dustin Diamond Dead at 44

Dustin Diamond, best known for his role as Samuel "Screech" Powers on the original Saved by the Bell series, has died at 44 years old.

TMZ broke the news that Diamond passed away on Monday. The news comes after his recent diagnosis and hospitalization for stage 4 lung cancer. People later confirmed his death with a statement from from his rep. "We are saddened to confirm of Dustin Diamond's passing on Monday, February 1st, 2021 due to carcinoma," read the statement. "He was diagnosed with this brutal, relentless form of malignant cancer only three weeks ago. In that time, it managed to spread rapidly throughout his system; the only mercy it exhibited was its sharp and swift execution. Dustin did not suffer. He did not have to lie submerged in pain. For that, we are grateful."

Diamond played Screech for the entire four-season run of Saved by the Bell. After his work on the sitcom, he became a reality TV fixture, appearing on Celebrity Fit Club, Celebrity Big Brother, and Celebrity Boxing 2. He also returned as Screech for the spin-off series Saved by the Bell: The New Class and Saved By the Bell: The College Years, and wrote the 2009 memoir Behind the Bell about his time on the show, though he did not reprise his role in the recent Peacock revival.

For the last few years, Diamond had been plagued by legal issues. In 2015, he served four months in jail due to a stabbing incident, and returned to jail the following year for violating parole. His rep's statement addressed the incidents.

"He's had a history of mishaps, of unfortunate events. We want the public to understand that he was not intentionally malevolent. He, much like the rest of those who act out and behave poorly, had undergone a great deal of turmoil and heartache," Diamond's rep said. "His actions, though rebukeable, stemmed from loss and the lack of knowledge on how to process that pain properly. In actuality, Dustin was a humorous and high-spirited individual whose greatest passion was to make others laugh."

Diamond's Saved by the Bell co-star, Mario Lopez, tweeted his condolences. "Dustin, you will be missed my man," Lopez wrote. "The fragility of this life is something never to be taken for granted. Prayers for your family will continue on..."

Saved by the Bell's Mark-Paul Gosselaar also paid tribute to Diamond in a tweet. "Deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Dustin Diamond, a true comic genius," he wrote. "My sincere condolences to his family and friends. Looking back at our time working together, I will miss those raw, brilliant sparks that only he was able to produce. A pie in your face, my comrade."