English comedian, actress, writer, and BBC star, Maddy Anholt was married to Ben and they had a daughter named Opal before she sadly passed on 13 September 2023. Her husband lives a private life but she has other famous family members such as her father, Laurence Anholt (writer and illustrator), her mother Catherine Anholt (an artist), a twin Tom (illustration artist), and a sister, Claire who works with the UN.
Maddy died of a rare brain cancer that surfaced after the birth of her daughter with her husband. Amidst her health struggle, she had the support of her husband, parents, twin, sister, and other relations.
Let’s Get to Know About Maddy’s Husband
Many reports claim that Maddy’s husband’s name is Ben Anholt. However, his surname is not Anholt as this is Maddy’s last name (birth name).
Instead, only his first name Ben is revealed to the public. He has concealed his identity and at the time of this writing, the only thing known about him is his being a part of the comedian’s life in her final days as her husband and father of her daughter.
Whatever the case, she first made headlines in 2015 when she launched a crowdfunded to raise over 3,500 pounds in order to go to Scotland and find a boyfriend. If Ben is the same man she traveled to look for, then he is Scottish. If not, her husband remains a mystery.
Regardless, she was surrounded by love from family and friends. In fact, she spent her last days at her parents’ in Devon. Here is what to know.
Who Are Maddy Anholt’s Parents and Siblings?
The regular guest on BBC Radio 2 was born to her parents Laurence Anholt and Catherine Anholt on December 13 1987 alongside her twin, Tom. She also had a sister named Claire.
She had a total of 2 siblings and her family is known for their artistic nature.
Maddy’s father Laurence Anholt is a a notable UK author and illustration artist. He was born in 1959 to a Dutch family with Persian roots.
His career as a writer is what brought him to the limelight as he is among the 150 Most Borrowed Authors from UK libraries in different genres.
His books cut across picture books, young adult fiction, and baby board books, an adult crime among others. In his over 3 decades of career, Maddy Anholt’s father has received numerous prestigious awards such as Historical Winner Young Quills Award 2017, and was also endorsed by Amnesty International in 2017.
His other awards are the estlé Smarties Gold Award (2001), the Nestlé Smarties Gold Award 1999, and the Historical Association Young Quills Award 2017.
In a similar vein, Mady’s mother, Catherine Anholt is an illustration artist. She was born in 1958 into an Irish Catholic family and fell in love with the arts at a very young age.
This led to her heading to Falmouth School of Art in Cornwall, England. While at the school, she met her future husband and father Maddy. The couple later moved to London where she attended the Royal College.
Anholt’s Sister Works for the UN While Her Brother is an Artist in Germany
As earlier mentioned, Maddy had 2 siblings, a twin named Tom Anholt and a sister named Claire.
Her twin is an illustration artist based in Berlin, Germany. His works are exhibited in different parts of the world.
Claire seems to have taken a different route as she is the only member of the family who does not seem to have a professional career in art. Instead, she works for the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland.
These are not the only family members Anholt left behind. She was a wife, mother, daughter, sister, twin, aunt, and in-laws.
Her nieces and nephews include Nina, Felix, and Ada.
See Also: Alexandra Gibb – 5 Facts About The TV Personality
Maddy Anholt Also Left Her Legacy
Anholt’s life may have been cut short by death at the time she was 35. Yet, immortalized her name through her extensive work in different fields. She was a writer, speaker, actress, and humanitarian.
She was an ambassador for the charity Women’s Aid.
As an author, she released her debut book, How to Leave Your Psychopath in 2022. The book gives an insight into abusive relationships and how people get trapped in them.
She also wrote for many publications, sometimes focusing on women’s related issues and other times extending.
Prior to her death, she made a revelation that her first fiction would be released a year after she made the post. This means that she had plans to publish it in 2024. Her wish may be granted and her book should be on the shelf in 2024.
In her life as an actress, the Irish and Dutch descent and featured in sitcoms for notable stations such as itcoms for BBC Three, BBC One, ITV, and Channel 4.
Equally, she made appearances and let her voice be heard through BBC Radio 2 and ITV’s This Morning.
This is a good enough portfolio and legacy already but Maddy didn’t stop there. She explored comedy and had four sell-out solo comedies.
