Marcus Gilbert obit

Marcus Gilbert dies aged 67 after cancer diagnosis

 

He was not on the list.

Marcus Gilbert, who immortalised Jilly Cooper’s leading man Rupert Campbell-Black in Riders, has died at the age of 67.

The actor, who also featured in shows including Doctor Who and Murder, She Wrote, died on Sunday after living with throat cancer for three years.

The Bristol-born actor is survived by his two children, son Maxi and daughter Aaliya. He was married to Homaa Khan-Gilbert up until her death in 2020 from pancreatic cancer.

A Facebook fan site for Gilbert shared a statement reading: ‘Today we have heard the very sad news that Marcus lost his battle against cancer on January 11, 2026.

‘We, along with his many fans worldwide, will mourn his loss, and remember the joy he gave us on screen and in person. RIP Marcus.’

Gilbert’s daughter Aaliya previously shared her father’s diagnosis with Parkinson’s disease in 2020, following the death of her mother.

Gilbert was most recently in a relationship with fellow actor Lysette Anthony, who starred in Hollyoaks and Two Up, Two Down.

The pair first worked together on A Ghost In Monte Carlo in 1990, before becoming an item nearly 23 years later.

Anthony has yet to comment in response to news of his death, but last shared a post with him in April of last year.

The actor’s peers have begun to share their tributes, including Doctor Who fan Toby Hadoke, who posted a carousel of images of Gilbert, who played Ancelyn in the Whoniverse.

In the caption on Instagram he wrote: ‘Dashing, charming, and a strong actor with a bit of a twinkle – very sorry to learn of the death, too young, of Marcus Gilbert with whom I had a lovely time in Liverpool about a decade ago.

‘He was also great in Doctor Who’s Battlefield and had a terrific role in Evil Dead 3: Army of Darkness.

‘He also told me how much he earned from being part of the second Gold Blend saga of commercials: eye-watering! Lovely chap: wore his attributes lightly.’

Doctor Who maestro Russell T Davies commented underneath the post, writing: ‘Oh that’s sad news’.

Gilbert also starred in the third Rambo film and was said to be in contention for the role of James Bond in the late 1980s, but lost out to Timothy Dalton.

In addition to a wide-reaching career in adverts, Gilbert also worked in the theatre, playing the young Viscount Goring in Oscar Wilde’s An Ideal Husband in 2000. It was through the theatre that he first got his start in acting.

Actor

UNIT: Brave New World

Ancelyn (voice)

ReleasedPodcast Series

2026

3 episodes

 

Meet Pursuit Delange: The Movie (2015)

Meet Pursuit Delange: The Movie

6.9

John Scott MP

2015

 

Mark Killeen and Michael Renwick in Dragon Soccer (2010)

Dragon Soccer

Short

Marcus

2010

 

Phil Daniels in Freebird (2008)

Freebird

5.4

Marl

2008

 

Doctors (2000)

Doctors

4.6

TV Series

John Matthews

2001

1 episode

 

Alan Davies in Jonathan Creek (1997)

Jonathan Creek

8.1

TV Series

Jason Tippet

1998

1 episode

 

Susan Walters in The Big Easy (1996)

The Big Easy

7.1

TV Series

Jean Perrine

1997

1 episode

 

The Lazarus Man (1996)

The Lazarus Man

7.5

TV Series

Mr. Dunn

1996

2 episodes

 

Angela Lansbury in Murder, She Wrote (1984)

Murder, She Wrote

7.3

TV Series

Colin Biddle

1994

1 episode

 

Woman of the Wolf (1994)

Woman of the Wolf

6.4

TV Movie

The Man

1994

 

Legacy (1993)

Legacy

7.1

David Walker

1993

 

Riders (1993)

Riders

5.6

TV Movie

Rupert Campbell-Black

1993

 

Embeth Davidtz and Bruce Campbell in Army of Darkness (1992)

Army of Darkness

7.4

Arthur

1992

 

Perfect Scoundrels (1990)

Perfect Scoundrels

6.5

TV Series

James Bridges

1992

1 episode

 

Fred Dryer and Stepfanie Kramer in Hunter (1984)

Hunter

6.9

TV Series

Kane (uncredited)

1991

2 episodes

 

Blood Royal: William the Conqueror (1990)

Blood Royal: William the Conqueror

7.0

TV Movie

Waltheof

1990

 

Sarah Miles in A Ghost in Monte Carlo (1990)

A Ghost in Monte Carlo

6.0

TV Movie

Lord Robert Stanford

1990

 

Chameleons (1989)

Chameleons

5.5

TV Movie

Ryan Delaney

1989

 

Paul McGann, Colin Baker, Tom Baker, Peter Davison, William Hartnell, Sylvester McCoy, Jon Pertwee, and Patrick Troughton in Doctor Who (1963)

Doctor Who

8.4

TV Series

Ancelyn

1989

4 episodes

 

Uncle Silas (1989)

Uncle Silas

7.2

TV Mini Series

Lord Carysbroke

1989

2 episodes

 

Sylvester Stallone in Rambo III (1988)

Rambo III

5.8

Tomask

1988

 

A Hazard of Hearts (1987)

A Hazard of Hearts

6.7

TV Movie

Lord Justin Vulcan

1987

 

The Pyrates

7.2

TV Movie

Captain Ben Avery

1986

 

Biggles: Adventures in Time (1986)

Biggles: Adventures in Time

5.7

Eric Von Stalhein

1986

 

Connie (1985)

Connie

7.9

TV Series

Georgiou

1985

3 episodes

 

Peter Cushing and John Mills in Sherlock Holmes and the Masks of Death (1984)

Sherlock Holmes and the Masks of Death

6.2

TV Movie

Anton Von Felseck

1984

 

Robin of Sherwood (1984)

Robin of Sherwood

8.4

TV Series

Lucifer

1984

1 episode

 

Dirk Benedict, Jan Francis, and Peter Graves in Fox Mystery Theater (1984)

Fox Mystery Theater

7.2

TV Series

Young John Bray

1984

1 episode

 

Mr. Palfrey of Westminster (1984)

Mr. Palfrey of Westminster

7.7

TV Series

Fl. Lt. Dufour

1984

1 episode

 

Master of the Game (1984)

Master of the Game

7.3

TV Mini Series

Rory

1984

1 episode

 

Diana (1984)

Diana

8.6

TV Mini Series

Young Man

1984

1 episode

 

Michael York, Lisa Eichhorn, and Joanna Lumley in The Weather in the Streets (1983)

The Weather in the Streets

5.2

TV Movie

Kurt

1983

 

Self

Ian Cullen and Toby Hadoke in Who's Round (2013)

Who's Round

8.6

Podcast Series

Self (voice)

2016

1 episode

 

Medieval Times: The Making of 'Army of Darkness' (2015)

Medieval Times: The Making of 'Army of Darkness'

7.2

Video

Self

2015

 

Storm Over Avallion

Video

Self

2008

 

Biggles: The Making of a Movie (1985)

Biggles: The Making of a Movie

TV Movie

SelfSelf - Eric Von Stalhein

1985

 

Archive Footage

Army of Darkness: Defense (2011)

Army of Darkness: Defense

8.1

Video Game

Lord Arthur (archive footage, uncredited)

2011

 

Doctor Who: Thirty Years in the TARDIS (1993)

Doctor Who: Thirty Years in the TARDIS

7.9

TV Movie

Ancelyn (archive footage, uncredited)

1993