Timothy Spall praises wife for his recent success
AS HE’S tipped for an Oscar with new film Mr Turner, Timothy Spall pays tribute to his wife for sticking by him during his tougher times.
The 57-year-old actor endured a long battle with cancer after being diagnosed with Leukaemia in 1996 and the star has thanked Shane, his wife of 33 years, for her support.
Speaking to the Radio Times, Timothy says: “You never know what is going to happen to you in life. I’m lucky because I have Shane.
When I was ill and she stood sentinel we were in it together
“We are a close family [with children Pascale, 38, Rafe, 31, and Mercedes, 29], but when I was ill and she stood sentinel. We were in it together.”
Though his disease has since been in remission, Timothy recalls how his doctor’s initial prospects for recovery were slim. But despite this, he says that Shane, 60, helped him remain optimistic.
“She wasn’t having it. After the doctors thought I’d relapsed and I was about to have a bone marrow transplant, I watched her pegging up washing. She was just carrying on.
“I thought, ‘I’m having people tell me I might not live’. I went down there and I said to her, ‘I’m not going to die. I know you know I’m not.’”
Timothy’s illness meant that he missed out the 1996 Cannes Film Festival, the year his film Secrets and Lies won the Palme d’Or.
This year he won Best Actor for his role as painter J.M.W. Turner.