Russell T Davies on Husband's Brain Tumor Death

Russell T Davies, the writer behind Doctor Who, It's a Sin, and Tip Toe, referred to the passing of his husband Andrew Smith from glioblastoma multiforme as his 'greatest loss.' In an appearance on the On the Marie Curie Couch podcast, Davies shared that Smith was initially given 18 months to live after his diagnosis in September 2018, yet he lived for eight years. The couple, who had been together for two decades and married in 2012, faced the diagnosis together. Davies missed the first appointment, believing it was a routine check-up, and Smith later forgot the tumor's name until he found a note three days afterward. Despite the grim prognosis, Smith opted not to know the details, a choice Davies found surprising but potentially beneficial. He described caring for Smith as 'hard work' but something he would gladly continue for another 50 years. In Smith's final weeks, Marie Curie nurses provided invaluable support, which Davies likened to 'saint visiting the house.' Smith passed away at home, with Davies and his sister by his side, an experience Davies deemed significant.