Ollie Aslin, a director and editor best known for his work on BBC's Gladiators and ITV's Britain's Got Talent, died on Tuesday, June 23, after a long and unforgiving illness. The Irish filmmaker was 52.
Tributes Flood In for the 'Immensely Talented' Filmmaker
An obituary published on behalf of his family confirmed his death: 'Ollie tragically passed away after a long and unforgiving illness. Predeceased by his mother Carol. Missed by Rory, Luke, and Robyn his three wonderful children who he loved so much. Also by Kate, his dad Roger, his big brother, Tom, niece and nephew Rosie and Noah and all his friends. His kindness, great humour and lust for life will long be remembered.' The notice included a quote from Sir Terry Pratchett's Reaper Man: 'No one is actually dead until the ripples they cause in the world die away.'
Screen Ireland led tributes, posting on Instagram alongside a black-and-white image: 'Screen Ireland has been deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Irish director and editor Ollie Aslin. Ollie was an immensely talented documentary filmmaker and editor, whose passion for the medium shone through his award-winning projects Castro's Spies and I Dream in Photos. His loss will be felt by all in the Irish film industry. Our heartfelt condolences go to Ollie's family and loved ones at this time.'
Colleagues Remember His Mentorship and Humour
Former colleagues shared memories of Aslin's kindness and mentorship. One wrote in the official condolence book: 'I had the pleasure of working with Ollie on several shows as an assistant editor during my time at Screen Scene. He was a wonderful mentor who advocated for me to edit on the show. He was always encouraging, patient, and quick to joke around and have a laugh even when we had a crazy deadline. He will be greatly missed.'
Another recalled: 'I'm so sad to hear of Ollie's passing. I assisted him on a few seasons of a show at the beginning of my career and he was just the kindest, most generous person. I always looked forward to working with him. He was full of good humour, super talented and always had something cool to teach me. He will be sorely missed. My condolences to his family. May he rest in peace.'
A fourth colleague said: 'I worked with Ollie 17 years ago and I never forgot him. His irrepressible humour and smile brightened up our Edit suite on what was a difficult job. So sad to hear of his passing. I'll always remember you Ollie.'
Career Highlights Across Major TV Shows
Aslin worked as an editor on the latest season of Gladiators and contributed to numerous other shows including Jay Blades' Home Fix, the Emmy-winning 50 Ways to Kill Your Mammy, Made in Chelsea, The X-Factor, Channel 4's Coach Trip, and Celebrity Sabotage. His documentary work included Castro's Spies and I Dream in Photos, which won awards.
A sixth colleague reflected: 'Saddened to hear the passing of Ollie. When I was a runner in Egg, Ollie was always so kind, patient and was keen to share his knowledge of editing, all with a smile on his face, and with a great sense of humour. I was always so thankful for the time he gave me. Condolences to his family. Rest easy, Ollie.'
Aslin is survived by his three children, his father Roger, his brother Tom, and his niece and nephew.
