Jane Lynch has paid tribute to Glee co-star Naya Rivera following her tragic death at the age of 33 last month.

The actress drowned in a Californian lake after going swimming with her four-year-old son and encountering difficulties in the water, prompting an outpouring of grief from Glee fans around the world.

Lynch starred opposite Rivera in all six seasons of the musical drama and, speaking on Today With Hoda & Jenna, she paid tribute to her professionalism and warmth as an actress.

"I think that one of the things that kind of got lost when we were doing the show was what a force she was because there were so many talented people," she said.

"She was one of those people - she wasn't in every scene, but when she was... she just blew everybody away.

"I had three-page monologues, so did she. It took me a week to get mine. She would do them right off the bat and they would be changing them and she had no problem with it.

"My niece Megan was very close with Naya and Megan always said that, with Naya, you felt like somebody had your back. She was somebody who wasn't going to let anybody mess with you.

"It's just gut-wrenching and heart-breaking that she's gone."

Rivera's body was found seven years to the day after Glee star Cory Monteith died of an accidental overdose.