Posted in: NBC, TV | Tagged: ac slater, bleeding cool, cable, Dustin Diamond, mario lopez, nbc, peacock, Samuel Powers, Saved by the Bell, Screech, streaming, television, tv

Saved by the Bell: Mario Lopez Supports Dustin Diamond's Cancer Fight

Although Dustin Diamond hasn't always endeared himself to his former Saved by the Bell castmates since the original NBC Saturday morning series ended, they remain a family. The actor announced he's battling cancer and despite not having a role in the Peacock sequel series of the same name, his former co-star Mario Lopez, who plays AC Slater, provided an update via Instagram showing his love and support.

"I connected with Dustin earlier this evening and although the news of his diagnosis is heartbreaking, we remain positive that he'll overcome this," Lopez wrote. "Praying for him & his family and for a speedy recovery. God Bless." Diamond played lovable nerd Samuel "Screech" Powers since the series' original incarnation in Good Morning, Miss Bliss premiered on the Disney Channel before a rebrand of the series and cast overhaul turned to Saved by the Bell for NBC. He along with Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Lark Voorhies, (Lisa Turtle), and Dennis Haskins (Principal Richard Belding) appeared in all 86 episodes for the Saturday morning series created by Sam Bobrick. Diamond and Haskins played bigger roles in the series original spinoff Saved by the Bell: The New Class. The earlier appeared in 130 of the show's 143 episodes. He also starred in the failed prime time failed spinoff The College Years with Gosselaar and Lopez.

With the sequel series on the NBC Universal streamer Peacock, neither Diamond nor Haskins appears in the first season. Voorhies appeared in an episode while Gosselaar and Tiffani Thiessen made recurring appearances. Lopez and Elizabeth Berkley (Jessie Spano) take front and center as their characters now work at their alma mater of Bayside High to lead a new crop of students. The series left a door open for Diamond to return as Screech's absence was explained in the reunion episode as he's working at the International Space Station with his loyal robot companion Kevin. You can stream both the original and new series on Peacock.

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