Glee: Cory Monteith tribute episode airs in America

The episode did not feature Monteith's character Finn's funeral

Cory Monteith was found dead at Vancouver’'s Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel (Getty Images)

The Glee tribute episode to Cory Monteith aired in the US last night.

The episode, entitled "The Quarterback", did not show Monteith’s character Finn’s death, or reveal how he died.

Instead, the episode took place weeks after his death, focussing on how the Glee club dealt with the news.

A few scenes conjured memories of Finn, but there were no flashbacks of the character himself.

Lea Michele, Monteith’s girlfriend on and off screen, sang a teary rendition of “Make You Feel My Love”.

The tribute featured five other emotional performances from Glee stars new and old, including Mercedes (Amber Riley), Puck (Mark Salling) and Santana (Naya Rivera).

Quinn Fabray (Dianna Agron) and Brittany Pierce (Heather Morris) were among the few characters not written back into the episode.

Ian Brennan, who wrote the tribute episode, told The Hollywood Reporter: “We’re trying to be sensitive and also have some fun with it, to go back to some optimistic stories. I think he would have wanted that. He always loved that about the show.”

Cory Monteith died aged 31 of a heroin and alcohol overdose in his hotel room in Vancouver in July.

A final coroner’s report released earlier this month revealed a hypodermic needle and spoon with drug residue were present in the room where the actor was found by hotel staff on 13 July.

The Quarterback will air on Sky One later this month