Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels actor Jake Abraham dies, aged 56

Actor revealed in July he had been living with cancer ‘for maybe four years’ without realising

Jake Abraham in ‘Lock, Stock and Tow Smoking Barrels' (PolyGram Filmed Entertainment )

Jake Abraham, best known for his role in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, has died, aged 56.

The news was confirmed to The Independent by the actor’s publicist, who said: “Sadly, I can confirm that Jake Abraham passed away at his home in Liverpool, on Saturday September 30th at 10.38pm, after a courageous battle with cancer.

“Jake was surrounded by family and loved ones. A beautiful, funny, compassionate human being, he will be dearly missed.

Abraham, who was born in Liverpool, played Dean in the 1998 gangster film, which was written and directed by Guy Ritchie.

His other credits include the 1991 Channel 4 show GBH and the 2001 film Mean Machine, in which he starred alongside his Lock, Stock co-star Vinnie Jones for a second time.

The actor shared his prostate cancer diagnosis with Liverpool Echo in July, telling his fans he was receiving palliative care.

Paying tribute to Abraham, Liverpool theatre director and producer, Bill Elms, who collaborated with the actor on numerous occasions, told the outlet: “I had the great pleasure of working with Jake on a few shows I co-produced, Twopence to Cross the Mersey and Lennon’s Banjo, he was a wonderful actor, a great company member and was much loved by so many in the industry.

“He will be sadly missed. I have many fond memories of Jake, he was always so upbeat and fun to be around. I admired him for going public with his illness, it will make a difference to many others and save lives. It’s a very sad day. RIP and sending my love to his friends and family.”

In July, Abraham said that he was diagnosed with cancer after suffering a long period of illness.

“I was working but I wasn’t feeling well,” he said, adding: “I was pushing through those spells when you don’t feel yourself, you haven’t got the energy and there are aches and pains.

“What made me go to the doctor and get a PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test was that I passed blood in my urine.”

Jake Abraham (Shutterstock)

He revealed that doctors told him that he had had cancer “for maybe four years”, and that the disease had spread to other parts of his body.