Jane Lynch paid tribute to Glee co-star Cory Monteith at the 2013 Emmy Awards last night (September 22).

The 31-year-old Canadian passed away in July this year after succumbing to a deadly mix of heroin and alcohol.

Actress Lynch took time at the Emmys to speak about Monteith, praising his character and lamenting the effects of addiction. She said:

"Cory was a beautiful soul. He was not perfect, which many of us here tonight can relate to. His death is a tragic reminder of the rapacious, senseless destruction that is brought on by addiction. Tonight we remember Cory for all he was and mourn the loss of all he could have been. To a generation that loved Cory so, please know this gifted and wonderful young man was worthy of your love.

"And if you were lucky enough to know Cory as we did, and witness first hand Cory's goofy, breezy sense of humour, his natural instinct for inclusiveness and his unbridled sense of generosity day in and day out, I promise you have loved him even more."

The move was criticised before the Emmys, however, with some questioning whether Monteith warranted his own tribute section.

Emmys producer Ken Ehrlich retorted pre-show: "I do think when people see this, [when] they see that there’s kind of a message involved and what we’re saying about him, they may revise some of this early unfair advance criticism."