‘It felt right’: Emmerdale’s Bob Hope icon fulfills wife’s dying wish

Emmerdale’s Tony Audenshaw has opened up astir fulfilling his wife’s dying privation for him to tally the TCS London Marathon.

The actor, who plays Bob Hope, mislaid woman Ruth successful 2017 pursuing her diagnosis of pancreatic crab successful 2015.

Ruth had near Tony a connection that said if helium was to tally the London Marathon again, she’d similar him to bash it for the foundation Pancreatic Cancer UK.

Tony has tally the marathon 15 times, achieving a idiosyncratic champion clip of 2 hours, 58 minutes and 49 seconds backmost successful 2006. However, helium stopped taking portion aft Ruth received her diagnosis.

‘I could person got a spot the adjacent twelvemonth but we didn’t cognize however she was going to be’, helium told PA.

‘It conscionable didn’t consciousness right. I didn’t privation to walk each that clip grooming due to the fact that it is simply a large committedness erstwhile you’re grooming and being retired of the location each the time. And past I conscionable ne'er truly felt similar it again.’

He is present hoping to rise wealth to assistance make caller diagnostic tests for pancreatic cancer, which could prevention lives.

‘It conscionable felt right’, helium added, reflecting connected his determination to instrumentality to the event.

‘She near each her friends and household a paper to work aft she died, and successful it she said, “if you tally London again, volition you bash it for pancreatic cancer?”. She besides past added thing like, “no pressure, if you don’t fancy it don’t” – which is precise Ruth’.

Tony has played Bob Hope since 2000. Recently, the beloved quality faced an affectional conflict erstwhile helium learnt his son’s headstone was acceptable to beryllium erected.

Heath died astatine the commencement of 2024 arsenic a effect of the injuries helium sustained successful a car crash.

Instead of addressing the important moment, Bob chose to hide his caput successful the soil starring Cathy (Gabrielle Dowling) to suffer her temper astatine his procrastination efforts.

Eric (Chris Chittell) past caught Bob successful a susceptible moment. He shared his ain acquisition of grief, and his words someway helped bolster Bob.

When helium yet arrived astatine the church, things were easier than helium expected. He and Cathy bonded implicit the information that Heath would person been pleased with their choice.

They pulled retired a container of Heath’s favourite treats and settled successful to walk a infinitesimal unneurotic successful their grief.

It was a small spot of airy for Bob aft a precise acheronian year.

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