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“Saved by the Bell” actor Dustin Diamond has died at the age of 44.
In a statement obtained by “Extra,” his rep said, “We are saddened to confirm of Dustin Diamond’s passing on Monday, February 1st, 2021 due to carcinoma. 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.”
“Dustin Diamond was a character in and of himself: an unpredictable spitfire who always left us shocked, but never left us bored,” the statement continued. “We are thankful he trusted us enough to share his genuine, authentic self with our team. We wish you knew him in the way that we did. We please ask that you give room for privacy to our team and Mr. Diamond’s family during this tragic time, as we grieve and remember the memories spent together. This loss is as much stinging as it is sudden.
TMZ reports Diamond’s was with him when he passed away.
His rep, Roger Paul, told the outlet that his health had gone downhill since last week. While attempting to get him into hospice care, he was taken off breathing machines.
The news comes just weeks after news broke about Diamond’s diagnosis.
Last week, Diamond’s rep confirmed that he had gone through his first round of chemotherapy.
At the time, his rep shared with NBC News, “Dustin is looking forward to spending more time with his girlfriend, playing his bass guitar/video games, as well as making videos for his fans on social media.”
Ahead of his diagnosis, TMZ reported that Diamond had been suffering from pain throughout his body before being admitted to the hospital.
According to the outlet, Diamond’s family has a history of cancer and his mother died of breast cancer.
Diamond was not part of the Peacock reboot of “Saved by the Bell” that premiered in November. He was on “Saved by the Bell” from 1989-1993, and on the spin-offs “Saved by the Bell: The College Years” (1993-1994) and “Saved by the Bell: The New Class” (1994-2000). He was also Screech in the TV movie “Saved by the Bell: Wedding in Las Vegas” (1994).