ITV Coronation Street star’s husband dies in freak swimming pool accident as soap star issues statement
Coronation Street actress Carol Royle has announced the tragic death of her husband Julian Spear following a freak swimming pool accident.
The 70-year-old star, who joined the ITV soap this summer as Anthea Deering, revealed her husband of 47 years died on Saturday after suffering a sudden brain haemorrhage.
The incident occurred when Spear jumped into an outdoor pool that he believed was heated as usual, but was unexpectedly freezing cold.
“Our hearts are aching,” wrote Royle in an emotional social media post, sharing the news of her husband’s passing with friends and fans.
In a heartfelt social media post on Monday, Royle shared the devastating details of the incident.
“I am desperately sorry to post that we lost my wonderful husband, Julian Spear, today, 9th December,” she wrote.
She explained how her “perfectly fit” husband had jumped into what he assumed was a heated outdoor pool.
The sudden exposure to the freezing water led to him developing “a sudden massive brain haemorrhage,” according to Royle’s post.
The actress added: “Married 47 years – known each other 56. Forgive me if I am not on Facebook very much for a while.”
Julian and Carol had been married since 1977, sharing nearly five decades of life together.
The couple had two children, Taran and Talitha.
Julian came from a showbusiness family, being the son of renowned actor Bernard Spear.
His father had notably appeared in classic films including Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Yentl.
The couple’s relationship spanned an impressive 56 years in total, having known each other for nearly a decade before their marriage.
During his career, Julian Spear held a prominent position as Head of Promotions at music company Phonogram.
His role saw him working alongside some of the biggest names in the music industry.
Among the notable artists he collaborated with were Elton John, Tears for Fears and Bon Jovi.
His work in the music industry marked a different path from his father’s acting career, establishing his own legacy in entertainment.
Royle recently joined the cast of Coronation Street, taking on the role of Anthea Deering in the summer of 2023.
The actress has had an extensive career in television spanning multiple popular series.
She previously appeared in the ITV soap Crossroads and played Jenny Russell in the BBC sitcom Life Without George.
Her other notable roles included portraying Lady Patricia Brewster in four episodes of Heartbeat.
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Throughout her career, she has made multiple appearances in long-running series including Casualty, Doctors and The Bill.
She demonstrated her versatility by playing different characters across various episodes of these shows.
Friends and fans quickly offered their condolences on social media following the tragic announcement.
One person wrote: “There are simply no words to describe the pain I feel for you all. It was an absolute honour to know Julian. The most beautiful, loving family I have the privilege of knowing. I love you all deeply and am sending every ounce of love and strength.”
Another friend commented: “Oh Carol, I’m so sorry, he was the best man. My heart is with you and the family.”
“OMG Carol, I’m so sorry, this is utterly shocking. Sending all my love to you and Tally and Taryn. I just can’t believe it,” added another well-wisher.