Maddy Anholt, the BBC star and charity campaigner, has died from ‘rare and aggressive brain cancer’ at age 35.
The world of comedy recently bid farewell to a bright star as Maddy Anholt, an actor, comedian, and author, passed away at the young age of 35. Her family announced her tragic demise, attributing it to a 'rare and aggressive form of brain cancer'. They said in a statement on Thursday morning (14 September):
'It is with profound sorrow that we announce the death of Maddy Anholt, our beloved daughter, sister, twin, friend, wife and mother, who left this world on Wednesday 13th September, aged 35.'
BBC star and This Morning regular Maddy Anholt has died aged 35 from 'a rare and aggressive form' of cancer.
— Metro (@MetroUK) September 14, 2023
She was diagnosed with cancer following the birth of her first child last year. https://t.co/8WgpgdHyFS
They went on:
'You may know that shortly after the birth of her incredible daughter Opal last year, Maddy was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer. She handled the ensuing surgery and treatment with astonishing grace and courage, accompanied every step of the way by her family and devoted husband, Ben.'
A multi-gifted talent
Maddy Anholt's comedic talent shone brightly across various media platforms. As per Sky News, her notable appearances include roles in TV comedies such as Sunny D, Jerk, Radio 4's No Smoke, and ITV2's The Emily Atack Show.
Maddy Anholt's influence extended beyond comedy. In 2018, Anholt ran the London Marathon, raising funds for The National Brain Appeal, in memory of her grandmother Joan Anholt. In 2022, Maddy authored the self-help book How to Leave Your Psychopath: The Essential Handbook for Escaping Toxic Relationships. This empowering book shed light on abusive relationships and offered guidance on breaking free from toxic dynamics. Following the book's release, Maddy became an ambassador for Women's Aid, furthering her advocacy for those affected by abuse.
Her posthumous book, Red Flags, set to be released in February 2024, continues her mission to help people recognize and escape abusive relationships.
Emily Atack's heartfelt tribute
One of Maddy's close friends and former co-stars, Emily Atack, took to social media to express her profound grief. Emily described Maddy as 'the sweetest, FUNNIEST, gorgeous, and most hardworking women' she had ever known. The post, which features a selfie of the two on the set of Emily Atack Show, a comedy sketch TV series hosted by Emily that began airing on ITV2 in November 2020, read:
'It’s hard to find the words. Maddy Anholt was one of the sweetest, FUNNIEST, gorgeous and most hard working women I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing and working with. Just utterly beautiful and so talented. She made me laugh so much. Sending every ounce of my love and support to her family. Such an unbearably tragic loss ❤️'
Colleagues, friends, and fans alike expressed their condolences and shared stories of Maddy's humor and kindness. An ambassador for Women's Aid, the charity's chief executive Farah Nazeer, said:
'Maddy worked closely with us as she wrote her book about unhealthy relationships, and her passion was to raise awareness of abuse amongst younger people, which she did by working with us on our Love Respect website and through her comedy and writing.'
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