'Home And Away' star Johnny Ruffo has died aged 35 after a battle with brain cancer.
Johnny Ruffo has died after a battle with brain cancer
The singer/actor - who was diagnosed with the disease six years ago - passed away at a hospital in Sydney, Australia on Friday (10.11.23) with his partner Tahnee and his family by his side. The sad news was confirmed in a statement posted on his Instagram account, which read: "It is with a heavy heart that today we had to farewell our beloved Johnny.
"Surrounded by his partner Tahnee and family, Johnny went peacefully with the support of some incredible Nurses and Doctors. He was a very talented, charming and sometimes cheeky boy. Johnny was very determined and had a strong will.
"He battled all the way to the end and fought as hard as he could. Such a beautiful soul with so much more to give.We all love you Johnny and will remember you for all the joy you brought to our lives."
Johnny shot to fame back in 2011 with an appearance on 'The X Factor Australia'. He made it to the final and went on to win 'Dancing with the Stars Australia' a year later - just weeks after releasing his debut single 'On Top' in June 2012.
He released a second single 'Take It Home' later that year before swapping music for acting after landing the role of Chris Harrington in 'Home And Away' in 2013. He starred on the soap for three years until 2016.
After leaving the show, Johnny starred in mini-series 'House of Bond' which aired in 2017 but his career was interrupted by his diagnosis with brain cancer.
He underwent surgery in 2017 and two years later he announced he was "currently clear of cancer" and he released two more singles 'Broken Glass' and 'Let's Get Lost'.
However, in November 2020, Johnny confirmed his cancer had returned. In a post on Instagram, he wrote: "After an unexpected week of seizures and excruciating headaches it is with a heavy heart that I have to let you know I now have another huge battle ahead of me as my brain cancer has returned, though I will dig deep and beat this shit disease again."
In August 2022, Johnny released his autobiography 'No Finish Line' and confirmed his cancer was now terminal.
In a post on social media, he wrote of his cancer battle: "One of the saddest things about cancer is that even though it can feel like an isolating experience and that you’re the only victim, you quickly learn that it’s actually quite a large club that nobody asked to be part of. Every day, I’ve found that identifying just one thing worth fighting for can give me the strength needed to pull my chin up and attack the day."