Michael Campbell, also known as Michael Patrick, has died at the age of 35. The actor had been battling motor neurone disease for three years prior to his death
Paige Ingram and Peter Hennessy UK & World News Editor
01:24, 09 Apr 2026
Michael Patrick Campbell(Image: BBC)
Game of Thrones star Michael Campbell posted a poignant message just weeks before his passing in which he expressed he had “lots to live for and lots planned”.
Actor Michael Campbell, who featured in the television series Blue Lights and Game of Thrones, has died aged 35. The acclaimed artist, who won one of Britain’s most prestigious drama accolades for a “legendary” wheelchair-bound portrayal of Richard III, had been fighting motor neurone disease (MND) before his passing.
The performer, also recognised as Michael Patrick, received the tragic terminal diagnosis in February 2023 and died on Tuesday at NI Hospice. His wife Naomi announced the devastating news on social media stating: “He lived a life as full as any human can live,” she said.
Naomi continued: “Mick was an inspiration to everyone who was privileged enough to come into contact with him, not just in the past few years during his illness but in every day of his life. Joy, abundance of spirit, infectious laughter. A titan of a ginger haired man.”
Writing on Instagram in February, in what proved to be his final Instagram message, he stated: ” 3 years of having mnd. Still shite craic. Health update: Basically me and @nomsheehan were in hospital for over a week there – speaking to doctors and getting tests done etc. Talking about risks and implications of getting the trache put in. What day to day life would be like after the operation.
“In short I’m not going ahead with the tracheostomy. I had confirmation from it would be around 6-12 months before I could get home due to lack of staffing resources. Thanks so much to everyone who helped push this – from senior social workers, to politicians, to the chief executive of the hospital. Everyone has tried so hard, but there just isn’t the staff.”, reports the Mirror.
“Also, my neurologist gave us the news that I likely have about 1 year left (obviously he can’t say for definite and we still have hope for the drug trial to buy some more time too). So I don’t want to risk a significant amount of that time being in a hospital bed.
“Thanks so much for all the donations to the GoFundMe, even though I didn’t go ahead with the trachesotomy – it will still go towards providing me with specialist care as I enter the final stages of life. I’m still overwhelmed by all your generosity.
“Anyway – still lots to live for and lots planned – here’s my wee godson Micheál visiting me in hospital.”