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Riders star Marcus Gilbert passed away aged 67 on Sunday following a three-year battle with throat cancer.
The Bristol-born actor, was most famous for playing the swoonsome Rupert Campbell-Black in a 1993 TV adaptation of Jilly Cooper’s Riders, yet away from the spotlight his personal life was steeped in tragedy.
During the course of his life, the star tragically lost his first wife Homaa to pancreatic cancer in 2020, when she was just 60 years old.
The couple shared two children, son Maxi and daughter Aaliya and the latter revealed that at the time of Homaa’s treatment Marcus was also diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
Marcus went on to find love again with Lysette Anthony, who was said to have fallen ‘head over heels’ for the star after going through two divorces herself.
Prior to his fame, there was tragedy in Marcus’ life from the beginning after his dad George and his grandparents all passed away on the same night when he was just 12 years old.
Taking to Instagram to commemorate his death back in November, Marcus wrote: ‘This is in remembrance of my father George Michael Gilbert (1927- 1970).
‘Sadly, I never really had the opportunity to know him very well, but I remember his panache, sense of adventure and his larger than life personality. I still mourn his loss and can only guess what his influence may have become in my life.’
Paying tribute to his grandparents he added: ‘This [is] also to remember my loving grandparents, Emily and Oswald, who lost their lives that same Halloween night, I remember the smell of Wrights Cold tar soap, cornflakes with warm milk and tales from his travels as a Royal Marine.
‘A thought for all those children who lost their parents far too early in life’.
After the sadness of his childhood. Marcus went on to marry Homaa Khan in 1992 until her tragic death in 2020 on the same day as his birthday.
Homaa died after undergoing an operation to remove pancreatic cancer, leading to complications and a five-week stay in an Intensive Therapy Unit.
Her daughter Aaliya wrote at the time: ‘The five weeks my mother spent in Kings after an operation for pancreatic cancer removal, with its complications and subsequent ITU stay, were undoubtedly the most painful of my life.’
She then revealed that at the same time as her mother’s treatment, Marcus was also diagnosed with Parkinson’s.
She explained: ‘I got to experience her inspiring fearlessness in the last few years (and always); working through chemo/radio and Covid, supporting my brother and me through finals, helping my dad through his Parkinson’s diagnosis – all with an unwavering smile on her face.
‘I’ve learnt this year that you never know how resilient you truly are until you have to be. Also, that you never know what people are dealing with behind the scenes, so kindness is never wasted.’
Following the death of Homaa after 28 years of marriage, Marcus went on to find love once again with Lysette Anthony.
The pair began their relationship in 2023 after Marcus reached out to her agent after finding out about her Parkinson’s diagnosis.
He said he wanted to help in any way he could and while her previous boyfriend had left her when she had shared her diagnosis, Marcus wanted to stand by her.
She previous said in 2023, six months into their relationship: ‘What Marcus is offering me — something I’ve never known before — is a partnership of dreams. Marcus calls this “the third act”. He says: “There’s only one life. Let’s go out with a bang”.’
Yet within months of meeting Lysette he was diagnosed with throat cancer and had to undergo chemotherapy.
The couple initially met on set of A Ghost In Monte Carlo in 1990 a year after Lysette was raped by Harvey Weinstein.
After meeting Harvey in 1982 at just 19 years old, the pair were friends for a few years before she describes him as turning into a monster when his career took off.
She is the only British actress to have called out the disgraced move mogul after she publicly accused him of rape in 2017, a decision she previously said ‘shredded’ her reputation.
Standing up for Lysette in an Instagram post in September, Marcus shared a snap of them both as he penned: ‘Lysette is a beautiful lady in all respects and deserves the best that life has to offer, but she has not been treated as she deserves to have to been by some elements in society, which is an injustice…
‘This needs urgent resolution if she is to enjoy the same calm of above, which is my fondest wish for her. The truth should stand above all’.
At the time of meeting Marcus, a friend of the actress revealed: ‘It’s a serious romance and has been going on for some time. They make an adorable couple. Lysette is head over heels with him.’
During their time as a couple, Marcus also said goodbye to his beloved dog Delilah in November 2024.
Marcus’ death was announced on a fan site on Facebook, in a statement reading: ‘Today we have heard the very sad news that Marcus lost his battle against cancer on Sunday 11th January 2026…
‘We, along with his many fans worldwide, will mourn his loss, and remember the joy he gave us on screen, and in person. RIP Marcus.’
Tributes poured in for the star with fans writing: ‘Gone home, in the arms of the angels and Homaa… Oh my goodness. RIP Marcus… So so sad.. Such sad news…
Adding to the tributes was actor Toby Hadoke, who shared a trio of images and added the caption: ‘Dashing, charming, and a strong actor with a bit of a twinkle…
‘Very sorry to learn of the death, too young, of Marcus Gilbert with whom I had a lovely time in Liverpool about a decade ago…
‘He was also great in Doctor Who’s Battlefield and had a terrific role in Evil Dead 3: Army of Darkness…
‘He also told me how much he earned from being part of the second Gold Blend saga of commercials: eye watering! Lovely chap: wore his attributes lightly. :(‘.
Following his role as Ancelyn in the Doctor Who television story Battlefield, the programme’s showrunner Russell T Davies paid tribute himself, writing underneath Toby’s post: ‘Oh that’s sad news’.
