Emmerdale star Tony Audenshaw, Best known for playing Bob Hope, is honouring a heartfelt promise made to his late wife, Ruth. Ruth, who passed away in 2017. After a battle with pancreatic cancer, he left behind a special message for Tony. The message eventually brought him back to an event he had once loved but had avoided for years. Now, after years of grief and reflection, he is returning to fulfil his dreams and pay tribute to his wife.
Running the Marathon
Tony used to be an experienced marathon runner. He had previously completed the TCS London marathon 15 times and achieved an impressive personal best of under three hours in 2006. However, when Ruth was diagnosed in 2015, his focus shifted entirely to her, and he stepped away from the race. Now, after years of grief, he is finally returning to the marathon and fulfilling Ruth’s wish to raise awareness and funds for Pancreatic Cancer UK.
In the final letter Ruth left for her loved ones, she gently suggested that if Tony ever decided to run the London Marathon again, she would love for him to do it in support of pancreatic cancer research. “No pressure,” she had written, knowing how much the event had meant to him. Tony admitted that after her passing, he couldn’t bring himself to run.
He said, “I could have got a place the next year, but we didn’t know how she was going to be’, he told PA. It just didn’t feel right. I didn’t want to spend all that time training because it is a big commitment to train and be out of the house all the time. And then I just never really felt like it again.” The training demands were high, and his priority was spending time with Ruth. He had never felt like lacing his running shoes again after she passed.
This past year has been one of loss for both Tony and Bob, and we can only pray that he finds the peace he is looking for. We will update you on what happens next in your favourite Emmerdale soap star‘s life. Until then, stay tuned to Soap Opera Daily for more updates.
