Finnian Garbutt, who starred in the BBC police drama Hope Street, has died after a battle with cancer.
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His family announced on April 17 that the actor passed away “peacefully at home”.
Finnian had publicly discussed his skin cancer diagnosis and treatment, which he received four years ago. The actor married his partner, Louise, last year and has a one-year-old daughter.
Garbutt was just 28.
According to the BBC, the Bangor-born actor appeared in the last three seasons of the BBC Northern Ireland police drama, which is filmed in Donaghadee, County Down.
“We’re absolutely heartbroken to announce that Finnian passed away after a sudden decline in his condition.” his family added in their statement. “You were the greatest husband, father, son, brother and friend we could ask for.”
Eddie Doyle, Head of Content Commissioning at BBC Northern Ireland, said Finnian was a “key part of Hope Street’s appeal.”
“He brought so much to his character PC Ryan Power over the last three series,” Doyle added, per the BBC. “Our thoughts are with his wife and daughter, family and friends, and the cast and crew of Hope Street at this time.”
Finnian Garbutt Revealed He Was in the ‘Last Stages’ of Life Just Last Month
In March, the actor shared the heartbreaking news that he was entering the “last stages” of his life after scans showed the cancer had “progressed rapidly in my body”. At the time, Finnian revealed he had been “having quite a bit of pain in my back and hip” for the last month.
“My cancer team admitted me the other day for observations and to do a few scans,” he explained.
“Unfortunately, the scans have shown that the cancer has progressed rapidly in my body and I am now entering the last stages of my life,” Garbutt continued. “I’m putting this out there as it is really difficult to tell people individually, and I hope now it’s in the open, then I can enjoy the time with my amazing family and friends.”
Speaking to the BBC in 2023, he explained that a mole his barber found during a post-lockdown haircut turned out to be malignant melanoma.
Garbutt, a July 2019 graduate of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, previously played Benvolio in Romeo and Juliet at the Lyric Theatre in Belfast.
He also appeared in the BBC hospital series Casualty and played Raymond in the film Housejackers, which premiered at the Belfast Film Festival last year.