Ashley Roberts, the former Pussycat Doll and Heart FM presenter, apologised after mistakenly announcing that Dick Van Dyke had died during a live entertainment news segment on Thursday. The 44-year-old told listeners that 'Dawson's Creek's Dick Van Dyke has passed away,' confusing the 100-year-old actor with James Van Der Beek, who died on Wednesday at age 48 from colorectal cancer.
Co-host Jamie Theakston quickly corrected the error, saying, 'Not Dick Van Dyke – come on. If you're going to do an obituary, you can't just say Dick Van Dyke.' Amanda Holden added that Van Dyke, who turned 100 on December 13, was 'alive.' Roberts then said, 'Yes – he's 100 years old! Oh my gosh, we spoke about this, I'm so sorry.'
Van Der Beek's death was announced by his family on Wednesday night. He was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer in 2023 and made the news public in November 2024. Tributes poured in from friends and co-stars, including Katie Holmes, who wrote: 'Bravery, Compassion. Selflessness. Strength. An appreciation for life... I mourn this loss with a heart holding the reality of his absence and deep gratitude for his imprint on it.'
A GoFundMe page set up to support his wife Kimberly and their six children has raised over $1.6 million (£1.1 million). The page states that the family faces 'significant financial strain' due to medical costs and aims to help them stay in their home and maintain stability.
