A BBC actor, who welcomed his baby daughter just 18 months ago, has informed his fans in a devastating update

Bekka Barnard Showbiz & TV Reporter, Victoria Johns Showbiz Reporter and Annette Belcher

19:18, 02 Mar 2026

An individual, dressed in a black t-shirt, is seated in a hospital room, surrounded by medical equipment and a blue wall. The individual appears to be engaged in conversation or receiving care.

(Image: Finnian Garbutt/Instagram)

A 28-year-old BBC actor has shared a devastating update following his cancer diagnosis. The Hope Street star was diagnosed with Stage 3 skin cancer that has tragically metastasised to his neck.

Finnian Garbutt plays PC Ryan Power in the beloved BBC crime series filmed in Northern Ireland. After discovering a growth behind his ear four years ago, which he originally believed was an ingrown hair, Finnian grew concerned when his barber informed him the lump had enlarged.

The BBC actor underwent the removal of 75 lymph nodes from his face and neck during an exhausting 12-hour operation but devastatingly, Finnian’s cancer has metastasised throughout his body and he is now “entering the last stages of his life.”

Posting on Instagram, he shared: “Hey all. Over the last month or so I’ve been having quite a bit of pain in my back and hip. My cancer team admitted me the other day for observations and to do a few scans. Unfortunately the scans have shown that the cancer has progressed rapidly in my body and I am now entering the last stages of life,” reports the Mirror.

A group of individuals, likely representing a security or enforcement team, are standing together in an outdoor setting. They are dressed in matching uniforms and protective vests, suggesting a professional context. The composition of the group includes both male and female members, and they are standing in close proximity, possibly posing for a photograph. The setting appears to be a well-lit, outdoor environment with a clear sky, contributing to a formal and professional atmosphere.

(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Long Story TV/Peter Marley)

Finnian added: “I’m putting this out there as it is really difficult to tell people individually and I hope now that it’s in the open I can enjoy the time with my amazing family and friends. Since being diagnosed four years ago I have achieved so many of my life goals – 30 episodes on a TV show, being the lead in a movie that should be out soon, buying my own house, marrying my best friend and becoming a father to the most incredible baby girl who never fails to make me smile.”

He concluded: “Thank you to all that have reached out over the years and supported me and my family. If anyone wants to meet up for a pint, coffee or general bit of craic please reach out and we can try to make it work. Love as always, Finnian.”

Finnian also told Belfast Live: “It was almost as if they accidentally had diagnosed me with cancer and were treating me by mistake. I was told I could die; my plastic surgeons had warned me about how ill I could be following surgery.”

“It kept being communicated to me that I was really sick, that I was one step away from being a terminal patient. I was just waiting to hear that I had tumours elsewhere throughout my body. I had already come to terms with the fact that I was going to die young. My defence mechanism was to expect the worst. I thought it was only going to be a matter of time.”