Britain’s Got Talent star and Baptist minister Allan Finnegan dies after cancer battle
Britain’s Got Talent star Allan Finnegan has died nearly five years after receiving a cancer diagnosis.
The Baptist minister appeared on the ITV talent competition in 2020, wearing his dog collar on stage and cracking gags about church life.
He reached the semi-finals with his stand-up act, which impressed judges Simon Cowell, David Walliams, Alesha Dixon and Amanda Holden.
Finnegan’s family has now shared that he died surrounded by his wife and daughters on Friday evening.
In a statement on his Instagram, Finnegan was described as ‘amazing, caring and funny’.
‘We have the most precious memories as a family and will love and miss him so much,’ the statement continued, posted alongside a photo of Finnegan with his family in a garden.
In his final moments, his family played the 59-year-old his favourite music, including Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here.
The caption continued: ‘We would like to thank each and everyone of you for your support, love and amazing generosity during Allan’s battle.
‘We are eternally grateful to you all, as this gave Allan precious extra time to spend with his family and new grandson.’
Finnegan was diagnosed with eye cancer, which was removed, but later returned to his liver.
The Merseyside native was experiencing flashes of light with his eyesight in 2022 and, after getting it checked by a doctor, was told that he had tumours in both eyes.
One was diagnosed as ocular melanoma, a rare but serious form of cancer.
After treatment, the dad-of-two learned that the cancer had spread to his liver, where it was inoperable. He was given 12 months to live at the beginning of 2024.
In recent months, Finnegan released the book I Didn’t Ask For Any of This: Church, Comedy and Cancer, which charted his career from a church minister to the Britain’s Got Talent stage, as well as his terminal cancer diagnosis.
In his Amazon author bio, he wrote: ‘First and foremost I’m a husband, dad, grandad and Liverpool fan. Not just the football club but the city as well. It’s a great, friendly place to live.
‘I’m not really sure I can call myself an author because this will most probably be my only publication.
‘I’ve had a varied career, from building sites to Baptist minister. Stand-up comedian and somehow starred on Britain’s Got Talent in 2020. I am hoping this book will be my legacy.’
Deputy Editor
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