Very sad news tonight folks. Andy Whitfield, star of Spartacus: Blood and Sand, died tonight at age 39. A battle with non-Hodgkins Lymphoma was the cause of his death.
Whitfield was at work on Spartacus: Blood and Sand season two when he was diagnosed with the disease. He fought it for 18 months before it got the best of him.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of our dear friend and colleague, Andy Whitfield,” said Starz president and CEO Chris Albrecht. “We were fortunate to have worked with Andy in ‘Spartacus’ and came to know that the man who played a champion on-screen was also a champion in his own life. Andy was an inspiration to all of us as he faced this very personal battle with courage, strength and grace. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time. He will live on in the hearts of his family, friends and fans.”
Whitfield did a terrific job on the show and I’m deeply saddened to hear that he has passed away. Truthfully, I was hoping that one day he’d be able to return to the show as his presence will be missed this season.
Our prayers and thoughts are with his friends and family.