Home and Away star Johnny Ruffo dies aged 35 after brain cancer battle

Ruffo played Chris Harrington on the soap (Picture: Channel 5)

Home and Away actor Johnny Ruffo has died aged 35 after a long battle with brain cancer.

The soap star and singer, who played Chris Harrington on the Australian show from 2013 to 2016, died ‘peacefully’ on Friday morning at a hospital in Sydney, Australia with his family and partner Tahnee by his side.

A statement on his Instagram page 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 & 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. Rest easy.’

Ruffo was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2017 after going to hospital with painful migraines, and that summer he was rushed to surgery to have a 7cm brain tumour removed from his frontal lobe.

He then underwent chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and went into remission months after the diagnosis, but he revealed in November 2020 that the disease had returned.

He kept fans updated on his devastating battle with the disease (Picture: Johnny Ruffo/Instagram)

In August last year, he confirmed the brain cancer diagnosis was terminal.

‘You can only imagine how difficult it’s been for her’, he said on The Project in 2022, reflecting on how the illness has impacted his partner, Tahnee Sims.

‘What plays in my head a lot is, I hate to say this, how hard it may be for her if something does happen to me.

‘So, it’s something that I don’t want to think about. It just gets me a little bit emotional about it because I know at some point something will happen, whether it’s, you know, a month from now or 10 years from now or 20 years.’

In addition to appearing in Home and Away, Johnny also featured in Neighbours back in 2020, in a recurring role. He played Owen Campbell.

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