Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels star Jake Abraham dies aged 56 after sharing cancer “regrets”
LOCK, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels star Jake Abraham has died aged 56, just months after sharing his cancer “regrets”.
The actor from Liverpool opened up about his cancer diagnosis in July and admitted that he’d “left it too late” to get checked after feeling ill for some time.
Jake continued to work until earlier this year – he was in the pantomime ‘The Scouse Jack and the Beanstalk’ at the Royal Court.
In February, he visited the GP after feeling unwell for a period of time.
The actor told the Liverpool ECHO in July: “I was working but I wasn’t feeling well.
“I was pushing through those spells when you don’t feel yourself, you haven’t got the energy and there are aches and pains.
“The costume for the play was enormous, I knew I wasn’t well then but I’d not been well for so long.
“What made me go to the doctor and get a PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test was that I passed blood in my urine.
“I got a test and ended up in the Royal. He said ‘you’ve got cancer, I’m so, so sorry’. He said that I’d had it for years, maybe four years.”
Jake was diagnosed with prostate cancer, which soon spread to the rest of his body and resulted in tumours on his spine and hips, and one removed from his bladder.
Despite receiving radiotherapy, he was left receiving palliative care.
The star said at the time: “Doctors have told me it could be months, it could be years. It’s frightening.
“It’s scary, to be confronted with your own mortality is the most scary thing you’ll ever go through.
“To prepare for that and be cognitive mentally, but knowing that’s what’s coming, it’s tough.”
Jake had been keen to encourage people with any symptoms of the illness to get them checked by a doctor as soon as possible.
He said: “You could save yourself 20 years of life.”
News of his death came from X, formerly Twitter, with fans paying tribute to the Liverpudlian actor.
One fan wrote: “God bless Jake Abraham. My sparkly little Evertonian mate, the talented boy from Kensington. Always a proper laugh and smile in work and play. Goodnight kid.”
While another commented: “Sad news tonight, hearing Liverpool actor Jake Abraham has passed away after his well documented battle with cancer. Everyone knows him from Lock Stock but there was so much more to Jake: from his @LivEveryPlay youth performances to powerful @Channel4 drama GBH. RIP.”
A third added: “So sad to hear of the passing of @jakeabraham1 one of L8’s super talented actors Jake Abraham has passed away. For many of us growing up his humorous and deadpan acting style had us belly laughing. Deepest sympathy to all family and friends.”
Jake was best known for appearing in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.
He also had appearances in Prisoners Wives, Holby City, The Bill and Red Dwarf.