Hope Street star Finnian Garbutt has died at the age of 28, a month after sharing his terminal cancer diagnosis.
The actor’s passing was announced three weeks after he shared he’d entered hospice care in a heartbreaking social media post.
His family announced the news on Instagram on Friday, saying that Finnian had been able to return home for his passing.
Their statement read: ‘He passed peacefully at home, as he wished, surrounded by his family. We want to thank everyone for their support, their kind words, and for being with us during this really difficult time.
‘And thank you also to everyone who donated to our GoFundMe page. The peace of mind you all gave Finn during his last days made his passing so much easier to bear.
‘He passed peacefully at home, as he wished, surrounded by his family. We want to thank everyone for their support, their kind words, and for being with us during this really difficult time.’
Hope Street star Finnian Garbutt has died at the age of 28, just days after sharing his terminal cancer diagnosis (pictured in August 2024)
The statement continued: ‘We will always love and miss you, Finn. You were the greatest husband, father, son, brother, and friend we could ever ask for, and knowing that you’re no longer in pain gives us all comfort, despite our own immense pain at losing you.
‘We will soon be announcing details of his funeral. In the meantime, we ask that our family’s privacy be respected at this really difficult time. Thank you so much, and with all the love in the world, Louise, Luke & the family xxx.’
The actor is best known for his role in Northern Irish police drama Hope Street, after he scooped the role in 2023 as new police constable Ryan Power.
Finnian was initially diagnosed with skin cancer five years ago, but had shared last month the disease had ‘progressed rapidly’ and he was now focusing on enjoying time with his ‘amazing friends and family’.
Despite undergoing surgery to remove cancer in 2022, Finnian was diagnosed with Stage IV melanoma in August 2024, just two weeks before the arrival of his daughter Saoirse, who he shares with wife Louise Agnew
Prior to his death, Finnian had shared the heartbreaking news he’d moved into a hospice after being diagnosed with terminal cancer.
The BBC star had detailed how he was entering ‘the last stages of his life’ after his diagnosis, and on March 25 he shared he was under hospice care.
In a post on Instagram he wrote: ‘A day in bed supplied by @nihospice. Thank you that have supported me and my family [sic]. I will no longer be sharing my GoFundMe page, but it is still active in bio. Love you all folks.’
In February, Finnian announced that despite treatment, the cancer has worsened and has now become terminal: ‘Hi 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 my life…
‘I’m putting this out there, as it is really difficult to tell people individually. And I hope, now that it’s in the open, I can enjoy the time with my amazing family and friends…
‘Since being diagnosed four years ago, I have achieved so many of my life goals – 30 episodes in a TV show, being the lead in a movie (that should be out soon), buying my own house, marrying my best friend and becoming a father to the most incredible baby girl who never fails to make me smile…
‘Thank you to all that have reached out over the years and supported me and my family. If anyone wants to meet up for a pint, coffee or general bit of craic please reach out and we can try and make it work. Love as always, Finnian’.
The actor is best known for his role in Northern Irish police drama Hope Street, which focuses on the fictional Northern Ireland Police, and began in 2021.
Finnian had been starring as new police constable Ryan Power since the show’s third series in 2023, and he had also featured in film Housejackers, and an episode of Casualty in 2020.
The actor is best known for his role in Northern Irish police drama Hope Street, after he scooped the role in 2023 as new police constable Ryan Power
In February, Finnian announced that despite treatment, the cancer has worsened and has now become terminal, five years after he was initially diagnosed
Garbutt first went for a GP check when he noticed a mole on his scalp, which was diagnosed as a stage three malignant melanoma.
Straight after his diagnosis, he urged people to get checked, saying: ‘What I want now is to get as many people to know about this disease because prior to this diagnosis…
‘I had no idea about it – now, actually having it at an advanced level, it is devastating and has changed my life completely.
‘I am never going to have the same life goals and ambitions that I once had so the thing that I want to show is that if caught early, it is very very treatable…
‘With melanoma, it spreads so fast and once it is in your lymphatic system it can go through your whole body…
‘I am trying to get people talking about it so that they know the ways in which you can prevent yourself from getting it – whether that be being more careful in the sun or less sunbed exposure…
‘I personally don’t sunbathe, I’ve never used a sunbed and I don’t particularly don’t like staying out in the sun all too much…
‘I am fit and healthy but I still have a very serious disease that just went unnoticed and I want to prevent that from happening to anyone else.
In December, Garbutt shared a post to commemorate his initial diagnosis – and his heartbreaking message he wrote: ‘Here’s to many more happy years’.
The post read: ‘4 years today I was diagnosed with cancer. It’s been a mad journey so far. Major surgery, countless scans and biopsies, 10 different treatments and now in search for a clinical trial…
‘Wouldn’t be able to have managed without my family, my wife Louise and my best little mate, my daughter, Saoirse. Here’s to many more happy years Xx’.
In the announcement of his diagnosis in August 2024, he wrote: ‘Yesterday I was diagnosed with Stage IV melanoma. A routine scan picked up a few hotspots in my body and a more detailed MRI confirmed that the melanoma has come back…
‘I have every trust in my oncology team and the groundbreaking treatment options available with the NHS. Check your skin, if something seems wrong then get it checked. Don’t take no for an answer…
‘I will try and get back to anyone that replies – thanks for having my back…
‘Louise and I can’t wait to welcome our daughter into the world in the coming weeks, nothing is going to stop our family from being happy. Peace and Love, Finn
