Ashvin Luximon, who played Asif Malik in EastEnders, has died aged 38.

The actor – who appeared on the long-running BBC soap between 1999 and 2003 – died on 23 July “due to an aneurysm”, his family have said.

His character, who appeared in 146 episodes of EastEnders, was a school friend of Martin Fowler, with the pair often getting into trouble together.

A webpage set up by his family paid tribute to a “loving son, brother and friend”.

“This site is a tribute to Ash, who passed on the July 23, 2022, due to an aneurysm,” they wrote.

“Ash’s unexpected passing has hit us all hard, but we want to take the time to remember his larger-than-life spirit.

“He loved and was loved by so many.

“He sang a mean karaoke tune and had a voice loud enough to hear from space.

“He brought laughter and the best cuddles.”

Luximon, who was from Enfield, North London, also appeared in Grange Hill and TV series Hope and Glory.

His funeral took place on 11 August, with friends and family asked to “wear colour to celebrate his life just as he would have wanted us to”.

In place of flowers, mourners were asked to donate to charities including the NSPCC and men’s suicide prevention organisation Andy’s Man Club.

Pictures on the tribute website include the actor speaking at a wedding, an early secondary school snap and a recent black and white image of the actor in a frame with an oil candle burning in his memory.

His last appearance on EastEnders was in October 2003 when his character received his A-Level results and left to go to college.