Damian Lewis paid tribute to his late wife Helen McCrory during a poetry performance at the National Theatre yesterday (Tuesday, January 25).

The poetry reading event was dedicated to McCrory after she passed away from cancer in April 2021, and was known for her roles in Peaky Blinders and numerous stage performances on the West End.

During the event on Tuesday evening a clip of McCrory reading poetry was played on screen, the Daily Mail reported.

Lewis joined Allie Esiri for the A Poet For Every Day Of The Year event alongside other special guests including Simon Russell Beale, Lesley Sharp and Fay Ripley.

Speaking at the event he said: "This evening is dedicated to her and it’s perfect, because Helen loved the National Theatre.

“One person whose thunder would absolutely not be stolen was Helen McCrory”.

Poems performed on the night included comic verse such as Spike Milligan’s 'You Must Never Bath In An Irish Stew' and the former Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy’s 'Mrs Icarus'.

Speaking on the tribute to The Daily Mail Esiri added: “We dedicated the evening to Helen, and Damian said a few words, but we just wanted to get on and do the show.

"It’s what she would have told us to do – ‘OK, enough already, get on with the show!’ She loved poetry and I think she would have been pleased to be kind of here with us. It felt right.”