Hollyoaks’ Jimmy McKenna has confirmed his wife has died.
The actor, who has played Jack Osborne in the Channel 4 soap since 1996, has opened up about experiencing grief, and how his Hollyoaks co-stars have rallied around him to ensure he isn’t on his own over the Christmas period.
The star has not revealed the cause of his wife’s death, but has opened up about how the festive season has ‘been a wee bit melancholy’.
Jimmy and Bev share four children together.
The actor, who is 72, confirmed in a chat that his friend and Hollyoaks co-star Nick Pickard (Tony Hutchinson) has invited Jimmy to his home, along with members of Bev’s family.
‘I’ll be with Nick and his partner Sarah for Christmas Day’, Jimmy said in a chat with Inside Soap.
‘Nick’s mum, my mum-in-law and sister-in-law are coming. Nick’s daughter Ellie and her boyfriend will be there too, there’s nine of us in total.’
He added: ‘Since my wife Bev passed, Christmas has been a wee bit melancholy for me. So it’s good to just be surrounded by friends, having a laugh and a wee drink!’.
Jimmy is a familiar face to the world of soapland, having also played the role of Jim Lomax in Coronation Street in 1985, and then in 1994 to play an Immigration Officer.
The star has also featured alongside David Jason in A Touch Of Frost, where he played Sergeant Don Brady.
Jimmy’s credits also include Taggard, Soldier Soldier and Heartbeat.
In Hollyoaks this December, as Christmas Day dawns, Jack is suited and booted with a special mission up his sleeve in a bid to make the festive season that little bit extra special.
With some help from the Hutchinsons, the patriarch organises a table for just himself and Pearl (Dawn Hope), who has a plan of her own as she has two sacks of presents to deliver throughout the village – as four families experience a festive season they’ll never forget.
The pair are the uniting thread through all four episodes, making appearances in every festive episode and, after accomplishing their goal, they dance the night away to Sinatra by the Christmas tree.
