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14th Jul 2021

Emmerdale star Toby Kirkup died hours after being discharged from hospital, inquest finds

Sarah McKenna Barry

An investigation determined that the actor suffered cardiac arrest at home.

An inquest has found that actor Toby Kirkup, who had roles in Emmerdale and Peaky Blinders, passed away just hours after leaving hospital last year.

At the time of his death, Kirkup was 48 years old.

The actor was admitted to Huddersfield Royal Infirmary on 29 August. He had been experiencing chest pain and a tingling sensation in his arms.

In hospital, doctors diagnosed him with gastritis and he was sent back home to Titanic Mills in Slaithwaite. While at home, his condition worsened.

Bradford Coroner’s Court heard that he eventually suffered cardiac arrest.

An initial post-mortem report claimed that Kirkup had died of natural causes. His family, however, requested a coroner’s exam due to concerns regarding the care he received.

Another hearing for the case has been scheduled for September 30.

Throughout his career, Kirkup enjoyed numerous roles on stage and screen. He played a police officer in the hugely popular Peaky Blinders, and he had a featured part on the long-running soap Emmerdale.

His TV acting career began in 2015, when he was cast in The Mill on Channel 4.

His most recent stage performances saw him take on roles in productions of Richard III and Henry V for the Ragged Drama School in Manchester.