BBC children’s star Mya-Lecia Naylor dies aged 16 as tributes flood in for ‘much loved’ actress who appeared in Absolutely Fabulous, Millie Inbetween and Almost Never
Heartbreaking CBBC star Mya Lecia Naylor has died aged 16
CBBC and Absolutely Fabulous star Mya-Lecia Naylor has died aged 16.
The BBC confirmed the devastating news with a statement on their website, calling the youngster a ‘much loved part of the BBC Children’s family’.
Co-stars including I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!’s Emily Atack have paid tribute to Mya-Lecia after her death on April 7.
Sharing a picture of the youngster on Instagram, Emily said: ‘So shocked and sad to hear about lovely Mya-Lecia Naylor. She was a beautiful and talented girl. ADVERTISING
‘A complete joy to be around on the set of Almost Never. Sending all my love to her family & friends. Rest in peace beautiful girl x’
The cause of her death has not been revealed.
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Heartbreaking: CBBC star Mya-Lecia Naylor has died aged 16
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The youngster appeared in CBBC’s Almost Never, pictured, and BBC show Absolutely Fabulous as character Jane in 2004 Video playing bottom right…Click here to expand to full page
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Co-star Emily Atack paid tribute to Mya-Lecia on Instagram, saying she was a ‘complete joy to be around on the set of Almost Never’
In Almost Never, Mya-Lecia played a member of the girls band Girls Here First who competed against the boy band The Wonderland on a fictional TV talent competition The Spotlight.
Emily Atack played Meg, the mother of one of the members of The Wonderland.
The Wonderland member Oakley Orchard also paid tribute saying: ‘Rest in peace to my little pink wafer. Absolutely devastated, will miss all the fun times we had together.’
Almost Never co-star Tillie Amartey wrote: ‘Rest forever in peace my beautiful angel you are loved and always will be your legacy lives on in all of us we will do you proud I promise.’
Nathaniel Dass added: ‘We are all going to miss you so so much and Almost Never won’t be the same without you.
‘The most beautiful girl inside and out, kind and funny I will never forget you and thank you for being a part of my life.’
She was best known for her role as Fran in CBBC’s Millie Inbetween, and was a budding model and singer.
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In Almost Never, pictured, Mya-Lecia played a member of the girls band Girls Here First who competed against The Wonderland
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Oakley Orchard also paid tribute on Instagram, calling Mya-Lecia his ‘little pink wafer’
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Co-star Nathaniel Dass said the show ‘won’t be the same without you’ (left), while Tillie Amartey said ‘your legacy lives on in all of us we will do you proud I promise’
The child star began her career aged two in 2004 in the BBC show Absolutely Fabulous.
She is set to star in The Witcher, which is in pre-production. Other stars in the show include Henry Cavill and Lars Mikkelsen.
The BBC’s statement read: ‘We are so sorry to have to tell you that Mya-Lecia, who you will know from ‘Millie Inbetween’ and ‘Almost Never’ has, very sadly, died.
‘Mya-Lecia was a much loved part of the BBC Children’s family, and a hugely talented actress, singer and dancer.
‘We will miss her enormously and we are sure that you will want to join us in sending all our love to her family and friends.’
The statement went on: ‘We know this news is very upsetting, and it may help to share how you are feeling with friends or a trusted adult.
‘If you are struggling and there is no one you feel you can talk to about it, you can call Childline on 0800 11 11.’
Alice Webb, director of BBC Children’s which includes CBBC, said news of Naylor’s death had left her team ‘distraught and so terribly sad’.
She said: ‘She has shone so brightly on our screens, both in Millie Inbetween and Almost Never, and it’s unthinkable that she won’t be part of our journey going forward.
‘She was hugely popular with our audience, a very talented actress, dancer and singer, and a real role model for her young fans.’
The last post on Mya’s Instagram account was created eight hours before her death was confirmed. She died on Sunday April 7.
