Mark-Paul Gosselaar: 'Saved by the Bell cast are shocked by Dustin Diamond's death'

Mark-Paul Gosselaar has paid tribute to his late Saved by the Bell co-star Dustin Diamond, admitting his death has left the cast of the show in a state of shock.

The 44-year-old, famed for his role as lovable Screech Powers on the high school comedy, succumbed to cancer on Monday - just weeks after he was diagnosed with stage 4 small cell carcinoma.

Gosselaar - who appeared in the '90s classic and its reboot as Zack Morris - spoke about Diamond during an appearance on the Tamron Hall Show.

Admitting "it's always tough" when someone close passes away, Gosselaar continued: "I think it's even more so when the individual is someone you know and the age of Dustin - it was only a few weeks ago that we heard about his diagnosis and for it to happen so quickly is shocking.

"Myself and the rest of the cast, we will get together at some point and sort of express our feelings, but yeah, it happened so quickly that we're all just pretty shocked about it."

He added that he and Diamond had drifted apart after starring in the show together as children - much like many of his castmates.

Mario Lopez was the first of the cast members to pay tribute following Diamond's death, with Lark Voorhies remembering her friend in a touching Instagram tribute on Tuesday night.

"Words cannot express the grief that I am feeling right now," she wrote. "Dustin and I had a warm and special friendship, he was a caring gentleman, and my memories of him will always be cherished.

"I am so very sorry he is gone. But it’s exceptionally sad for his close loved ones who have to deal with his tragic death and their own great loss. My heart goes out to them at this trying time."