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Actress Jill Halfpenny's Double Heartbreak Tragedy
8 Jan
Summary
- Jill Halfpenny's partner Matt Janes died suddenly from a heart attack.
- She experienced similar loss when her father died young from a heart attack.
- Halfpenny channels her grief into healing and finding new love.
Actress Jill Halfpenny has spoken candidly about the immense grief following the sudden death of her partner, Matt Janes, from a heart attack. This devastating loss in 2017, when Matt was 43, brought back memories of a similar tragedy from her childhood approximately 40 years prior, when her father passed away at just 36 from a heart attack.
Halfpenny, who found fame in Byker Grove, described discovering Matt collapsed at the gym and the subsequent inability of medical teams to revive him. She reflected on the shared fear with her mother, understanding the depth of that pain. She shared in 2024 that healing involves expanding the space around grief, acknowledging incremental wins.
Despite the heartbreak, the EastEnders star has found renewed love with Ian McAllister, fulfilling a promise she made to Matt. She expressed that meeting Ian came at the perfect time, describing him as a supportive partner and a source of reciprocal love, indicating a hopeful outlook after profound loss.
