'Emmerdale' star Tony Audenshaw opens up about late wife's cancer battle

Emmerdale actor Tony Audenshaw has told of his heartache after his wife Ruth lost her battle with pancreatic cancer.

The star’s wife passed away in 2017, and he is now set to cycle 100 miles around London to pay tribute to her and raise awareness and funds.

Talking about his wife's battle on This Morning, Audenshaw said when Ruth was diagnosed they were told it was inoperable and that it was “a really grim outlook” at that point.

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She eventually went to Germany where her tumour was removed.

However, it turned out the cancer had spread.

The actor – who has played Bob Hope in the Dales since 2000 – told the show’s hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield: "Part of the thing when you have surgery is that you can’t have chemotherapy for a little while because, obviously chemotherapy kills the good cells as well as the bad cells, so while it was all clinging together, some cells got loose.

“It was quite devastating, because it was probably two months after the operation that we found out it had spread already.”

Audenshaw, 57, said they made the decision to live life like they were retired, and when Ruth felt well enough they went on breaks and went out and did things together.

He is now set to take part in Ride London, a 100-mile cycle in her honour.

The actor tied the knot with Ruth in 1996 and they had two children together.

Speaking to the Mirror after her death, he said: "She was a brilliant person. She was so brave."

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“It’s really unfair that she’s gone, but my life was enriched so much by spending 24 years with her," he added.

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