Finnian Garbutt, the 28-year-old actor known for playing PC Ryan Power in the BBC One NI series Hope Street, has announced he is entering the final stages of his life after a four-year battle with cancer.
Garbutt was first diagnosed with Stage 3 skin cancer in 2020 after finding a lump behind his ear. He underwent 12-hour surgery in February 2022, during which 75 lymph nodes were removed from his neck and face. In August 2024, just two weeks before the birth of his daughter, he was diagnosed with Stage IV melanoma.
On Sunday, March 1, the actor shared on Instagram that the cancer had progressed rapidly. He wrote: '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.'
Garbutt said he went public because he found telling people individually 'really difficult' and now hopes to enjoy time with his family and friends. He added that since his diagnosis, he has achieved many life goals, including appearing in 30 episodes of a TV show, leading a film, buying a house, marrying his best friend, and becoming a father.
In addition to his role in Hope Street, Garbutt appeared in Casualty in 2020 and stars in the upcoming film Housejackers. He encouraged fans to reach out if they wanted to meet for a pint or coffee.
