Glee's Lea Michele 'inconsolable' after sudden death of on-screen and off-screen boyfriend Cory Monteith

Glee star Lea Michele has been left “inconsolable” after the sudden death of her boyfriend and co-star Cory Monteith on Saturday.

Michele is said to be “devastated” and has asked people to respect her privacy following the death of her 31-year-old boyfriend.

A spokesperson for the actress, 26, said in a statement: “We ask that everyone kindly respect Lea’s privacy during this devastating time.”

The autopsy on Monteith's body is set to be carried out today after the star was found dead in his hotel room in Vancouver shortly after midday on Saturday.

A source told HollywoodLife.com that Michele, who plays Rachel Berry in the hit Fox series, was “absolutely hysterical and completely inconsolable. She is devastated beyond belief.”

Michele, who has been dating her co-star for over a year, supported Monteith when he voluntarily checked into a rehabilitation centre in March for substance addiction.

She told People magazine at the time: “I love and support Cory and will stand by him through this. I am grateful and proud he made this decision.”

In January the actress spoke openly about her relationship with Cory, which she described as making her feel like “the luckiest girl in the world”.

She told Marie Claire magazine: “I don’t even remember a time when he wasn’t my boyfriend. No one knows what it’s been like to go through this more than he does. He makes me feel like I can do anything.”

“For the first time in my life, I feel really, really settled and happy. I feel like the luckiest girl in the world.”