Emmerdale star died penniless as wife had to claim benefits
Beloved actor Tony Booth joined the cast of Coronation Street for five episodes and also had a role in Emmerdale, but he tragically died without a penny to his name
Tony died in 2017, and his wife Steph had to claim Universal Credit(Image: Getty)
Actor Tony Booth had a remarkable career in television, but when he died his widow was left depending on Universal Credit in order to survive. He was famed for playing Mike Rawlins in 52 episodes of the BBC sitcom Till Death Us Do Part.
He also appeared in five Coronation Street episodes – first as Malcom Wilkinson and then as Charles Halliday – and in one episode of Emmerdale. Booth was also the father-in-law of former PM Tony Blair.
The actor was married four times in total and had eight daughters by five women. One of these daughters was Cherie, who went on to marry Tony Blair. Booth had welcomed Cherie and her sister Lyndsey with his first wife Gale Howard.
(Image: Getty)
Later in life it was his Coronation Street pal Pat Phoenix (Elsie Tanner on the cobbles) who initially cared for Tony, nursing him back to health following a tragic near-fatal blaze at his flat in 1979.
After he moved in with the actress, the couple tied the knot, just seven days before Pat died at the age of 62. Tony would go on to marry twice more – first to Nancy Jaeger in 1988 before their split in 1996, then finally to Stephanie Buckley in 1998. Tony and Stephanie were together until he died aged 85 in 2017.
Tragically, Tony was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2004, before suffering a stroke in 2010. His condition deteriorated, with him battling chronic heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease during his final years.
He shot to fame on the BBC’s ‘Till Death Us Do Part(Image: PA Archive/PA Images)
His death followed years of being unable to earn, which tragically left his widow Steph dependent on Universal Credit after spending tens of thousands on his care expenses, which depleted their savings and rendered them both penniless once more.
She detailed her struggle, saying: “When Tony died we were broke. I had no income for five years and we had used all our savings. All the benefits stopped and I had absolutely nothing. No husband, no income, nothing. It was such a shock.”
She continued: “I lived on Universal Credit for six months. It was horrible to be that low.”
Steph received assistance from her step-daughter Cherie Blair – wife of former prime minister Tony Blair – but confessed she “hated having to rely on handouts”.
