Shameless star Anne-Marie Duff has announced that her brother Eddie passed away earlier this year following a 15-year battle with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. The 55-year-old actress shared the news on Instagram, where she also revealed plans to walk 26 miles around central London in May to raise funds for the Alzheimer's Society in his memory.
Eddie, who was in his mid-50s, was diagnosed with very early onset dementia in his forties. In her Instagram post, Duff described him as "the life and soul of every party, funny, kind and an extraordinarily loyal friend." She added that he introduced her to music from artists such as David Bowie, The Velvet Underground, Joy Division, and The Beatles.
Duff, known for her roles in Shameless and Bad Sisters, is participating in the Alzheimer's Society's Trek26 event on May 9. She encouraged her followers to support her JustGiving page, saying the fundraiser is "not just for Eddie, but all the people you love living with dementia."
The post received support from Duff's former husband and Shameless co-star James McAvoy, with whom she shares a 16-year-old son named Brendan. The couple separated in 2016 after a decade of marriage.
