Dustin Diamond has lost his battle with lung cancer.
E! News can confirm the Saved By the Bell star passed away on Monday, Feb. 1 due to carcinoma. He was 44.
"He was diagnosed with this brutal, relentless form of malignant cancer only three weeks ago," a rep for the actor shared with E! News. "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."
When news first broke of Dustin's cancer battle, his Saved By the Bell co-stars were quick to send him well wishes.
As Mario Lopez previously wrote on Instagram, "I connected with Dustin earlier this evening and although the news of his diagnosis is heartbreaking, we remain positive that he'll overcome this. Praying for him & his family and for a speedy recovery. God Bless."
For 13 years, Dustin portrayed Samuel "Screech" Powers on the small screen before appearing on a variety of reality shows including Celebrity Fit Club and Celebrity Big Brother in the U.K.
While Dustin's rep acknowledged his client's "history of mishaps," the actor was also a "humorous and high-spirited individual whose greatest passion was to make others laugh. He was able to sense and feel other peoples' emotions to such a length that he was able to feel them too—a strength and a flaw, all in one."
"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," his rep's statement continued. "This loss is as much stinging as it is sudden."
Dustin's sudden passing comes just a couple of weeks after E! News learned he would begin chemotherapy for stage 4 lung cancer. At the time, the actor remained hopeful for a positive outcome.
As his rep explained on Jan. 21, "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."
Although Dustin is synonymous with the Saved by the Bell franchise, he was the only original core cast member to not appear in Peacock's revival series that launched in November 2020.
His absence was addressed when one character explained, "Screech is so lucky he and Kevin get to live on the International Space Station, so he doesn't have to deal with all this."
TMZ was first to report the news.