Ritter (right) in 8 Simple Rules For Dating My Teenage Daughter

The show, 8 Simple Rules For Dating My Teenage Daughter, starred Ritter as the father of unruly adolescent children.

It will now be rewritten to make the other characters deal with the death of their father in the show, which was "uncharted waters", ABC said.

Ritter, 54, who also starred in Three's Company, collapsed on set on Thursday.

He suffered a tear in his aorta, in his heart. He was buried at a private funeral on Monday, with a public memorial service planned.

Fans have paid tribute at the Hollywood Walk of Fame

Fans have laid flowers and photographs at his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The president of ABC Entertainment, Susan Lyne, said they were "going some place that no other show has gone - but it feels right".

"We don't pretend to have a road map here - as in life, we will take it an episode at a time and find laughs where they feel natural and right."

Writers have not decided how Ritter's character, Paul Hennessy, should die in the show.

But the first three episodes of the new series, which Ritter filmed before his death, will be screened as planned from Tuesday.

Ritter with Jane Curtin (left) and Tyne Daly at the 1984 Emmys

The sitcom was ABC's most successful comedy of 2002, and won the prize for best new comedy series at the recent People's Choice Awards.

Ritter found fame in the 1970s as Jack in Three's Company, about two women and a man sharing an apartment.

He was nominated for a total of 13 Emmy TV awards and Golden Globes - winning one of each.

TV guest roles included The Love Boat, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Ally McBeal and he was the voice of Clifford the Big Red Dog cartoon series.