Maddy Anholt dead: BBC star dies aged 35 after battling rare brain cancer following birth of her daughter

BBC star Maddy Anholt has died aged just 35 following a battle with a rare brain cancer after the birth of her daughter.

Anholt, who had been diagnosed with the disease just after giving birth, starred in several BBC, ITV and Channel 4 sitcoms and was a regular guest on This Morning.

She was an ambassador for Women’s Aid and wrote two books about domestic violence and toxic relationships.

Anholt wrote for The Sun in 2022 about how you can exit a toxic or abusive relationship while looking after yourself.

She starred in shows including the Emily Atack Show, Sunny D, Jerk and Mariah: The Diva.

The star was also a fan favourite at the Edinburgh Fringe and Latitude Festival.

Anholt trained as an actress alongside comedy stars Miranda Hart and Bridget Christie, and performed her shows Diary of a Dating Addict and Rent Girl to packed-out audiences.

In a post late last night, her family said: “It is with profound sorrow that we announce the death of Maddy Anholt, our beloved daughter, sister, twin, friend, wife and mother, who left this world on Wednesday 13th September, aged 35.

“You may know that shortly after the birth of her incredible daughter Opal last year, Maddy was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer.

“She handled the ensuing surgery and treatment with astonishing grace and courage, accompanied every step of the way by her family and devoted husband, Ben.

“She spent her final weeks at her parents’ home, Sunflower House, bathed in love and calm, and with the sounds of nature all around.

The family added: “We are overwhelmed with gratitude to the many friends who have upheld us with their love and prayers during this difficult time – as well as the countless nurses, doctors and the NHS as a whole, who treated her with unfailing dignity and compassion.

“In particular we would like to thank the magnificent team at Seaton Hospice at Home, who are the embodiment of empathy, professionalism and love.”

BRAVE CAMPAIGNER

The family is inviting fans to make a donation to , which Anholt campaigned for “with characteristic energy and humour”.

Teresa Parker of Women’s Aid said: “Maddy worked closely with us as she wrote her book ‘How to Leave Your Psychopath’ based on her own experiences of controlling relationships.

“She wanted to raise awareness of what abuse looked like, in a way that was easy to understand, and she wrote a comedy show around it, bringing this important issue to new audiences. 

“She helped us develop our website for young people called Love Respect, which she was an ambassador for – and also worked with survivors of domestic abuse to increase their confidence and tell their stories through public speaking.

“Maddy would go out of her way to support our work at Women’s Aid, and was so kind and generous with her time. We will miss her so much.”

The charity’s chief executive Farah Nazeer said: “We are devastated at the news of the death of our Ambassador Maddy Anholt, who passed away yesterday aged 35.

“Maddy worked closely with us as she wrote her book about unhealthy relationships.

“Her passion was to raise awareness of abuse amongst younger people, which she did by working with us on our Love Respect website and through her comedy and writing.

“Maddy was a creative, caring and determined woman, who gave her time freely to support us at Women’s Aid.

“She wanted to help so that other young women would not experience controlling relationships, and in her memory we will strive to continue this important work.

“Today our thoughts are with Maddy’s family, her husband Ben, and her one year old daughter Opal.”