Ben Daniels mourning the death of husband Ian Gelder

Ben Daniels is mourning the loss of his actor husband Ian Gelder.

The House of Cards actor announced the death of the Game of Thrones star on Instagram on Tuesday, revealing he passed away on Monday 6 May after a short battle with bile duct cancer. He was 74.

"It is with huge huge sadness and a heavy heart broken into a million pieces that I'm leaving this post to announce the passing of my darling husband and life partner Ian Gelder," Daniels, 59, wrote.

"Ian was diagnosed with bile duct cancer in December and yesterday he passed at 13.07. I'd stopped all work to be his carer but neither of us had any idea that it would all be so fast."

Daniels and Gelder met during a stage production of Entertaining Mr Sloane and had been in a relationship ever since 1993.

Alongside a selfie of the couple at Christmas, the Cutting It actor went on to praise his "absolute rock" for being "the kindest, most generous spirited and loving human being".

"I honestly don't know what I'll do without him by my side. He coped with his dreadful illness with such bravery, with no self pity. Ever. He was remarkable and will be so missed," he continued. "Rest well my sweet Chianni."

Richard E. Grant, who lost his wife Joan Washington in 2021, offered up his condolences in the comments.

"I am so SO sorry for the incalculable loss of your beloved Ian," he posted, adding heartbroken emojis.

Gelder was best known for playing Kevan Lannister, the younger brother of Charles Dance's Lord Tywin Lannister, in Game of Thrones.

He also appeared in TV series including Doctor Who, Casualty, The Bill, His Dark Materials and Torchwood: Children of Earth.