A BBC star, who recently informed his fans that he is “in the last stages of life” after cancer metastasised throughout his body, shared a vital message with his fans years before his tragic announcement
BBC actor Finnian Garbutt issued a gut-wrenching message to his fans years before he “entered the last stages of life.” The Hope Street actor recently broke the news that he is expecting to die after learning that cancer has metastasised throughout his whole body.
Back in 2022, he spoke to Belfast Live about living with the disease and said he wanted to use his talent to “encourage people to check their skin regularly,” no matter their age or “attitude to the sun”. He urged: “Don’t be afraid to seek help if you need it. Early detection saves lives.
“My message to men affected by cancer is this: Don’t bury your head in the sand. There are people out there who will help you and guide you. It’s good to talk.”
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Upon receiving his diagnosis, Finnian revealed he felt physically well and robust, as though nothing was amiss: “It was almost as if they accidently had diagnosed me with cancer and were treating me by mistake. I was told I could die; my plastic surgeons had warned me about how ill I could be following surgery. It kept being communicated to me that I was really sick, that I was one step away from being a terminal patient.”
“I was just waiting to hear that I had tumours elsewhere throughout my body. I had already come to terms with the fact that I was going to die young. My defence mechanism was to expect the worst. I thought it was only going to be a matter of time.”
When grappling with this devastating news, Finnian revealed he struggled to confide in family and friends about his anxieties and concerns. He started suppressing his feelings and “became a bit of a recluse as I didn’t want to burden anyone.”
However, things began to change his perspective around the disease. Back in 2022, Finnian said: “I feel confident moving forward. I’ve got scars but I’m not ashamed of them, in fact I’m starting to embrace them. It sucks to be in this position but bad things happen. Cancer doesn’t care, it impacts people of all ages.”
Three years later Finnian shared a truly heartbreaking message with his fans. On 2 March 2026 he took to social media to write: “Hey all. Over the last month or so I’ve been having quite a bit of pain in my back and hip.”
“My cancer team admitted me the other day for observations and to do a few scans. Unfortunately the scans have shown that the cancer has progressed rapidly in my body and I am now entering the last stages of life.”
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