HEARTBREAKING: Tragic de@th of Emmerdale actor at just 31 while visiting family in the US
Sam Gannon died aged 31 while visiting family in California in 2022
Emmerdale star Sam Gannon (Image: undefined)
It was one of the biggest roles he’d had when Sam Gannon was cast as horse-drawn carriage coachman, Kev, in the long running ITV soap, Emmerdale.
Performing alongside Emma Atkins, who plays the much-loved Charity Dingle, the young actor featured in two episodes in 2019 and his career appeared to be gaining momentum.
But aged just 31, and while visiting relatives in the United States, Sam died unexpectedly when he was afflicted by a rare illness in 2022.
Sam might have been making his mark on television but he was best recognised for his contributions to the stage. Growing up in Brayton, near Selby in North Yorkshire, he became part of the Northumberland Theatre Company.
The theatre said in a statement at the time of his tragic de@th: “He delighted audiences with his charm, his wit and his wonderful musical abilities.”, reports the Daily Star.
Sam starred opposite Emma Atkins in Emmerdale (Image: ITV)
“Sam was described by many as being like a human Duracell bunny, with limitless energy, always running around the rehearsal room and almost having too many creative ideas to keep locked up in his brain. In short, Sam could be a handful at times! But he was always fantastic as soon as you got him on that stage.
“He has also been described as a genuinely lovely lad, a wonderful human and a good friend to many.”
Sam was visiting relatives in California at the time of his tragic de@th. His heartbroken mother, Angela Gannon, revealed a heart condition he had suffered from as a child had “reared its ugly head” in the months preceding the tragedy.
Sam was described as a “sensitive soul” (Image: ITV)
At the time, she said: “You just don’t expect these things to happen, especially to a young man of 31 who was having the time of his life. He was having a great time, up in the mountains shooting tin cans, building stables for horses.”
A crowdfunding campaign was set up to gather sufficient funds to return Sam to his loved ones, and his funeral took place at York Minster in October, 2022. His family encouraged everybody to don bright colours in tribute to their “sensitive, caring man”.
Posting on the Just Giving website, Jonathan Kelly, who launched the appeal, said: “Sam was a true performer, and any extra money raised will be donated to a UK charity supporting youth theatre, a cause close to Sam’s heart.
“Amy, Sam’s sister, is also looking at setting up a foundation in Sam’s name to support people who find themselves in a similar position to him and need extra support.”
Sam’s courageous family directed the remaining funds towards youth theatre, owing to Sam’s tremendous dedication to his craft.
The talented young actor also appeared in TV series Tales of Bacon, as well as the film Babes with Blades.
