Actor to fulfil wife's final wishes at London Marathon

An Emmerdale actor will run the London Marathon to raise money for pancreatic cancer research and fulfil his wife's final wishes.

Denton-born Tony Audenshaw, 60, has played Bob Hope in the soap opera for 25 years and aims to generate £2,500 for charity. 

He is no stranger to long distances, having competed in more than 50 marathons across the world since his first attempt in Manchester in 1996, where he said he: “Went off too fast and ended up trudging through the rainy streets of Burnage being patronisingly patted on the back by passing runners before crossing the line just inside four hours and twenty minutes.” 

Despite vowing never to run one again, he took part in the New York Marathon in 1999 as a breast cancer fundraiser. 

He was last on the starting line in London back in 2015, the same year doctors diagnosed his wife Ruth with pancreatic cancer. 

She survived for 17 months before dying in April 2017, aged 43. 

Tony – who once held the Guinness World Record for running a marathon dressed as a baby - told the PA news agency: “She left all her friends and family a card to read after she died, and in it she said: ‘If you run London again will you do it for pancreatic cancer?'” 

According to Cancer Research UK, an average of 10,800 people contract pancreatic cancer in the UK each year, with only 5% surviving the disease for more than ten years.  

However, around half of all cases are in people aged over 75. 

“Pancreatic Cancer UK were brilliant with Ruth when she was ill,” Tony said. “The support nurses were particularly helpful guiding her through a minefield of information and she was moved to have her cells harvested and used in CAR-T cell therapy research.  

“The charity are currently working on an early-detection scheme for pancreatic cancer which will be a massive step to combatting the disease.” 

Diana Jupp, CEO of Pancreatic Cancer UK said: “Tony has been one of our most passionate supporters for years and we are so proud to have him running for us, on what will be one of the most important days ever for pancreatic cancer.   

“This devastating disease has been overlooked, underfunded, and left behind for 50 years. Families are often left with only hope to hold on to, but they deserve more than hope.” 

The London Marathon takes place on Sunday April 27, on what would have been Tony and Ruth’s 24th wedding anniversary.