Tony Audenshaw, who has played Bob Hope in Emmerdale for over 25 years, is quite the seasoned runner away from the village, having run over 50 marathons. His next one will see him run in memory of his late wife, Ruth.
His running has taken him all around the world, from London to Amsterdam and New York. Running was also a hobby he shared with Ruth.
Ruth tragically died in 2017 and Tony will be running the London Marathon in 2025 for an astonishing 15th time to raise money for Pancreatic Cancer UK.
Tony has run the London Marathon 14 times (Credit: Alan Davidson/Shutterstock)
Emmerdale fave Tony Audenshaw has run over 50 marathons
Tony Audenshaw is a seasoned runner and this year will be his 15th London Marathon. He’s also ticked off plenty of marathons in other locations – putting us all to shame.
Tony used to run to get good times, but after an injury admitted he started doing it in fancy dress instead. In 2010 he set the Guinness World Record for the fatest marathon time by a runner dressed as a baby! That was then beaten in 2014, so he sadly no longer holds the record.
“I’ve run London 14 times in the past. So I know what’s ahead of me,” he told Metro.co.uk.
“I’m not nervous or worried about it. I mean, I say that I had a dream the other day, I had a marathon dream. Just worried that I couldn’t find it, which is quite natural. But I suppose it’s normal at this time of year. I feel okay. I feel quite fit, which is really good.”
He is running the marathon for Pancreatic Cancer UK in memory of his wife Ruth, who died from the disease.
He often appears on TV to talk about his late wife (Credit: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)
Emmerdale actor Tony Audenshaw lost his wife in 2017
Tony and Ruth married in the 90s after meeting in an aerobics class. They had two children together, George and Emily.
Sadly, Ruth was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2015 and she died from the illness in 2017. Speaking about their shared love of running and Ruth’s d3ath, Tony told the Metro: “Ruth did, I think, 10 marathons and she did a couple of ultras.
“We both got our best ever time in any marathon at the London Marathon in 2006. So it’s a very special place for us. And I last ran it in 2015. And that year was the year that Ruth was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
“She was only young, she was only in her early 40s. She lived for 17 months after that, which is quite a long time for somebody with pancreatic cancer. Half the people who have it die within three months.”
Before Ruth died, she left a note for Tony, which read: “If you run London again, will you do it for pancreatic cancer?” And that’s exactly what he is doing.
Speaking on This Morning in 2022, Tony said following Ruth’s diagnosis, they decided to ‘”live life like you are retired”. And he opened up about how amazing his wife was to carry on despite the prognosis.
“She met up with friends, she carried on cycling because she loved cycling and it was a case of not being stuck in the hospital all the time or going for appointments all the time, getting out on that bike and feeling the wind on her hair,” he said.
He landed the role of Bob in Emmerdale in 2000 (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Tony’s early years
Tony was born in Denton in Lancashire in 1965. He got into acting via amateur theatre and would perform songs and sketches he had written.
At one point he took a job at Thorpe Park, but he couldn’t afford accommodation, so he slept in his car.
Speaking on Loose Women in 2019, Tony said: “I used to work at Thorpe Park, the theme park, I used to be in the Thorpe Park rangers and do the voices. Up North things are much cheaper. I came down here in the 80s, and it was £70 for a B&B.
“If I was down for five nights I would sleep in the car, because I didn’t have much money coming in.”
He soon landed on his feet when he got the role of PC Ian Coban in Channel 4 soap Brookside in 1994. He landed the role of Bob Hope in Emmerdale in 2000, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Tony has played Bob for over 25 years (Credit: ITV)
25 years of Bob Hope in Emmerdale
Not many people stick around on soaps for a quarter of a century, but Tony is one who did. He first played Bob Hope in September 2000 when his character came to the Dales as a sales representative for Naughty Nylons.
Bob soon started a relationship with Viv Windsor. They married, then divorced, before remarrying in 2006. Despite believing Viv wouldn’t fall pregnant naturally due to her age, the couple were shocked when it was revealed Viv was not only pregnant, but that it was twins!
Cathy and Heathcliffe were born in 2007. But heartbreak was ahead when Viv was sent to prison and then died in the shop explosion following her release.
Bob went on to marry Brenda Walker, but the relationship didn’t last long due to him being in love with Laurel, whom he had had an affair with.
Bob is currently single as he continues to grieve for son Heath, who tragically died in a car crash last year.
Reflecting on his milestone 25th year, Tony said: “It’s going to work and spending time with people that you like and get on with and doing interesting different things every day. So it’s an absolute blessing really. Whenever you go in, you’re telling different stories.”
