Harry Potter actor Warwick Davis pays tribute to wife Samantha who died aged 53

Samantha Davis, founder of dwarfism charity Little People UK and wife of Harry Potter star Warwick Davis, has died at the age of 53.

In a statement, the actor paid tribute to his "favourite human", who died on 24 March, saying: "I miss her hugs."

"Her passing has left a huge hole in our lives as a family," he added.

Mrs Davis was also an actor, appearing alongside her husband in the final Harry Potter film in 2010, in which she played a goblin.

The couple, who lived near Peterborough, met on the set of the film Willow in 1988, before marrying three years later.

The Star Wars star described Sammy, as he called her, as his "most trusted confidante and an ardent supporter of everything I did in my career".

"She was a unique character, always seeing the sunny side of life she had a wicked sense of humour and always laughed at my bad jokes," he said.

Davis said that with his wife by his side, he felt sure he could achieve anything, adding: "It was like having a super-power."

"Without Sammy, there would have been no Tenable quiz show, no Willow series. No Idiot Abroad Series 3."

He added it had been his wife who persuaded comedian Ricky Gervais to send him with Karl Pilkington for the travel series.

The couple's children, Harrison and Annabelle, joined their father in paying tribute, saying "her love and happiness carried us through our whole lives".

"Mum is our best friend and we're honoured to have received a love like hers," they added.

Davis played both Professor Flitwick and the goblin Griphook in all eight films in the Harry Potter franchise. He also played several characters in the Star Wars film series, and starred in both the Willow film and the 2022 sequel.

His wife's other acting credits include the children's series Through the Dragon's Eye (1989).

Outside of acting, Samantha Davis and her husband founded the charity Little People UK in 2012 to help individuals with dwarfism and their families.

"She was passionate about helping people, without judgement. She had time for everyone and a genuine listening ear," the Tenable host said.

Davis said in recent years his wife's mobility had become impaired but she was "determined that it would not impact her quality of life".

Disney, the network the Willow series was on, said Samantha was "beloved member of the UK film and TV community", adding: "Our thoughts are with the Davis family during this difficult time".