The death of Finnian Garbutt has been announced following a battle with cancer, after he previously revealed he had entered the final stages of his illness.
The Hope Street star, best known for playing Ryan Power in the BBC series, first shared his diagnosis in 2021 after a small mole behind his ear was identified as skin cancer.
Earlier today (April 17), his death was announced by his devastated family. He was 28.
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Death of Finnian Garbutt announced
In a post on Instagram, his family shared a statement.
It read: “Hi everyone. We’re absolutely heartbroken to announce that Finnian passed away yesterday after a sudden decline in his condition.
“He passed peacefully at home, as he wished, surrounded by his family. We want to thank everyone for their support, their kind words, and for being with us during this really difficult time.
“And thank you also to everyone who donated to our GoFundMe page. The peace of mind you all gave Finn during his last days made his passing so much easier to bear.”
The statement continued: “We will always love and miss you Finn. You were the greatest husband, father, son, brother and friend we could ever ask for, and knowing that you’re no longer in pain gives us all comfort, despite our own immense pain at losing you.”
They added: “We will soon be announcing details of his funeral. In the meantime, we ask that our family’s privacy be respected at this really difficult time. Thank you so much, and with all the love in the world.”
The statement was signed off: “Louise, Luke and the family.”
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Finnian’s battle with cancer
Actor Finnian recently revealed that his condition had worsened significantly.
He said scans showed the disease had “progressed rapidly” and that he was “entering the last stages” of his life after experiencing increasing pain in his back and hip.
Finnian was initially diagnosed with stage 3 melanoma in late 2021. He underwent surgery and further treatment, including chemotherapy.
Although the treatment appeared successful at first, the cancer later spread to his liver, lungs and bones.
In 2025, he revealed he had been told his illness was terminal just weeks before the birth of his daughter, Saoirse.
Speaking about his illness in one of his final interviews, Finnian admitted he struggled to fully process what was happening.
“The whole thing has been totally crazy,” he told The Independent in March 2026. “It has been really tough.” However, he said he found some comfort in not wanting others to go through the same experience.
Tributes pour in following death of Finnian Garbutt
Friends and fans have sent their condolences to the actor’s family.
Commenting on social media, one said: “I’m heartbroken for you all and keeping you all in my heart. Finn was such a special person.”
Hope Street actor Luke Delaney commented: “I’ll raise a glass to you tonight Finn. A remarkable man who’ll be deeply missed. Sending all my love to your family during this heartbreaking time. Rest in peace mate.”
Another added: “I’m so very sorry to hear this, what an exceptional young man he was.” Another friend commented to say: “I am absolutely heartbroken. Finnian brought an incredible amount of joy to everyone, and I was so blessed to know such an incredible soul. Sending my deepest condolences to Louise, Saoirse, and his entire family. This is truly the worst news ever.”
His acting career
Despite his diagnosis, Finnian continued to build his acting career. He appeared in 30 episodes of Hope Street.
He also starred in feature film Housejackers, which premiered at the Belfast Film Festival, a moment he described as “surreal”.
Reflecting on his achievements, he said he had fulfilled many of his life goals, including acting, buying a home, getting married and becoming a father.
Much of Finnian’s final months were focused on his wife Louise and their young daughter. He described Saoirse as his “best friend”.
Throughout his illness, Finnian used his platform to highlight the seriousness of melanoma, particularly in young people.
He urged others to seek medical advice if something felt wrong, noting that many underestimate skin cancer.
“A lot of people have this preconception of, ‘Oh, it’s just skin cancer, you just cut it off’,” he said, before warning, “But melanoma… it’s going to be the reason that I die.”
Finnian is survived by his wife Louise and daughter Saoirse.
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