BBC actor Finnian Garbutt has died at the age of 28 following a battle with terminal skin cancer. The star, known for playing police constable Ryan Power in the BBC One NI series Hope Street, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his family.
A statement shared on his Instagram account on April 17 read: 'We’re absolutely heartbroken to announce that Finnian passed away yesterday after a sudden decline in his condition. He passed peacefully at home, as he wished, surrounded by his family.' The family thanked supporters and donors to a GoFundMe page, saying the contributions gave him peace of mind in his final days.
Garbutt was first diagnosed with stage three skin cancer during the first Covid-19 lockdown after his barber noticed a lump behind his ear. In 2022, he underwent a 22-hour surgery to remove 75 lymph nodes from his head and neck. He was later diagnosed with stage four melanoma in 2024, just two weeks before the birth of his daughter.
Last month, Garbutt shared on Instagram that he was entering the 'last stages' of his life after scans showed the cancer had progressed rapidly. He said: '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.'
Tributes from former co-stars included Cameron Cuffe, who wrote: 'Finnian brought so much joy to so many and his memory will be cherished forever.' Garbutt also appeared in Casualty in 2020 before joining Hope Street in 2023.
