Tributes paid to Anthony Minghella

The British director, whose films include The English Patient, Truly Madly Deeply and Cold Mountain, died in the early hours of Tuesday.

He suffered a fatal haemorrhage at Charing Cross Hospital in west London after last week undergoing an operation on a growth in his neck.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Minghella was a "great friend" and described him as "one of Britain's greatest creative talents".

Jude Law, who worked with Minghella on The Talented Mr Ripley, Cold Mountain and Breaking And Entering, said he would miss the director "hugely".

Fellow film director Lord Puttnam said the death was a "shattering blow" to the industry. "He's going to be hugely missed. This is a shattering blow from someone who was a major figure in an important industry and had a lot to go on and contribute," he said.

Sky News north of England correspondent Gerard Tubb, who was taught by Minghella at Hull University in the 1980s, paid tribute. He said: "Anthony Minghella will be remembered as one of the greats of English cinema and theatre, in its wider sense of drama. He will be remembered as someone who was a great, someone who put English cinema back on the agenda."

Former prime minister Tony Blair said Minghella, who directed him in a party election broadcast for Labour, was a "wonderful human being".

Jane Tranter, Controller of BBC Fiction, said: "Everybody at the BBC was very upset to hear of Anthony's death. "It is a huge shock to us all and our thoughts are with his family at this terrible time. He was one of the UK's finest writing and directing talents and he will be sorely missed."

Alan Yentob, BBC creative director, who commissioned Truly Madly Deeply, said: "This is a terrible shock. Anthony was not only a wonderful film-maker but also a great champion of British cinema, an elegant advocate for the craft and a marvellous mentor for new talent."