Harrison Ford has fondly remembered the late Star Wars actor Peter Mayhew, saying he performed the role of Chewbacca with “real dignity and class”.

London-born Mayhew played the Wookiee warrior in five Star Wars films, most recently in 2015’s The Force Awakens.

He died at his home in Texas in April at the age of 74.

Peter Mayhew and Harrison Ford
Harrison Ford paid tribute to Star Wars actor Peter Mayhew after he died earlier this year (Anthony Devlin/PA)

Ford, who played the character of Han Solo in Star Wars, appeared on a US chat show and said 7ft 2ins Mayhew fought health issues to play Chewbacca.

Ford, 76, said: “He was a really sweet man, a nice man. And he had a hard time physically, it was really hard for him to do what he did for us, for all of us.

“And he did it with real dignity and class. He was a really neat guy, I miss him.”

Ford appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Thursday and also discussed another beloved film franchise he starred in.

He has played intrepid archaeologist Indiana Jones in four movies, beginning with 1981’s Raiders Of The Lost Ark and most recently in 2008’s Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull.

Asked if he ever imagined the Indiana Jones movies would go on to be as popular as they were, Ford said: “I was hoping. You don’t go into these things anticipating the levels of success that that achieved.”