Dutch actor Cees Geel has died “suddenly” at the age of 61, from a cardiac arrest. The award-winning star was best known for his roles in films like Simon and Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo, as well as TV shows like Day and Night. He scooped the Golden Calf for Best Actor award at the American Tribeca Film Festival for his role in Simon, and was praised by Hollywood star Robert De Niro.

He had just finished filming the final series of crime drama Flikken Rotterdam, in which he played detective Stan Vroom, before his death. His management announced the tragic news on behalf of Cees’ family. The star leaves behind two children, but had divorced his ex-wife in 2019.

In an interview in 2021, he admitted the “wound” of the divorce “is there for the rest of my life”.

He told Nieuwe Revu: “I see so often that people get stuck on the 10% they find annoying about someone. You started loving each other because of that other 90%, didn't you? Just focus on that and don't make such a big deal out of that 10%. That's how I felt in my relationship too. My ex-wife thought differently about it."

Though Cees admitted he “made mistakes”, he said: “I still don’t understand why she just left.

“On the other hand, I know that I sometimes reacted incorrectly, misinterpreting her behaviour. Instead of talking about that behaviour or a specific remark, I would quickly get into an argument."

Tributes have flooded in for the actor, with one writing: “Top actor! I’m going to miss him on TV. Strength to the bereaved.”

Another said: “I once spoke to him when I was cleaning the café (of a family member with whom he had a lot of conversations) at his place on the corner, he walked in there sometimes. He was a sweet, very nice man with a lot of (sharp) humour and a strong personality.”