Tony Audenshaw’s wife Ruth d!ed in 2017 following a fight with pancreatic cancer, and the Emmerdale star revealed that she made a final request in a card to read after she’d passed

Emmerdale star Tony Audenshaw has revealed that he’s taking on a major venture in honour of his wife, Ruth.

Ruth d!ed in April 2017 aged just 43, following a 16-month battle with pancreatic cancer. Even towards the end of her journey she was passionate about helping others facing the disease, and made sure that some of her cells were harvested to be used in cancer research trials in her final days.

Considering her own efforts to help in the fight against cancer, her final wish comes as no surprise: for her loved ones to consider running the London Marathon in aid of Pancreatic Cancer UK.

ITV actor Tony, who has completed over 50 marathons before, has happily stepped up to the plate, and explained that he’d be undertaking the gruelling challenge this April – 10 years after his last race.

Ruth requested that a loved one would complete the London Marathon in support of Pancreatic Cancer UK, and Tony is fulfilling her wish ( 
Image:
PA)

“She left all her friends and family a card to read after she d!ed, and in it she said ‘if you run London again will you do it for pancreatic cancer?'” Tony – who has played Bob Hope on Emmerdale since 2000 – told PA news.

The actor jokingly added: “She also then added something like ‘no pressure, if you don’t fancy it don’t,’ which is very Ruth.”

Tony also explained why 2025 has been the right outing for him. He shared: “I could have got a place the next year but we didn’t know how she was going to be. It just didn’t feel right. I didn’t want to spend all that time training because it is a big commitment when you’re training and being out of the house all the time.”

Tony has set up a fundraising page for the marathon, with a goal of £2,500. Alongside the donation target, the star also shared an emotional message explaining why he was running, and how marathons were a special part of his relationship with Ruth.

Tony plays Bob Hope on the soap
In part, he wrote: “I ran over fifty marathons, all over the place, often tying in an October half term holiday with family and friends where my wife Ruth would run too, Luberon, Mallorca, Amsterdam.

“London was always the best though and we both achieved our PBs on the same day there in 2006 where I ran 2:58:49 and she smashed 3:53:34. I last ran London in 2015, the same year Ruth was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, she d!ed seventeen months later in April 2017.”

Tony added: “Pancreatic Cancer UK were brilliant with Ruth when she was ill. The support nurses were particularly helpful guiding her through a minefield of information and she was moved to have her cells harvested and used in CAR-T cell therapy research.

“The charity are currently working on an early-detection scheme for pancreatic cancer which will be a massive step to combatting the disease. Thank you for your support,” he concluded, signing off with a kiss.