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jay benedict sadly dies from coronavirus

Death in Paradise pays tribute to actor Jay Benedict after his sad death from coronavirus

Jay was 68 years of age

Francesca Shillcock
Senior Features Writer
April 11, 2020
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Death in Paradise has paid tribute to beloved producer and actor Jay Benedict who sadly passed away after falling ill from coronavirus. The actor, 68, sadly died on Saturday 4 April after suffering complications from the Covid-19 virus which has claimed the lives of thousands across the UK. The BBC show, which has been popular with viewers since its premiere in 2011, took to social media to voice a tribute to the actor and producer.

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The tribute was shared via an image on Twitter, with the caption reading: "We are very sad to hear of the death of our friend and colleague, actor Jay Benedict." The post read: "We were very sad to hear of the death of Jay Benedict, who had worked on Red Planet productions including Death in Paradise and Dickensian."

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jay benedict dies age 68

The actor, 68, sadly passed away from complications related to Covid-19

It continued: "With his wife Phoebe Scholfield and their crowd ADR company, Sync or Swim, Jay played a key role in bringing our shows to life. We will miss working with him very much and our thoughts are with Phoebe and their family and friends." The heartfelt message came soon after the news of Jay's passing was confirmed in a statement from his management team. It read: "It is with profound sorrow that we must announce Jay's death on the 4th of April due to complications arising from a Covid-19 infection."

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jay benedict emmerdale

Jay was known for his many TV and films roles

Jay worked for the Red Planet productions company, who produced many popular shows such as Death in Paradise and Dickensian, and also, together with his wife, Phoebe, ran his own post-production company Sync or Swim. Sync or Swim was responsible for work on hugely popular TV shows such as Call the Midwife, Downton Abbey and Beowulf: Return to the Shieldlands. As well as working in production, Jay was also an esteemed actor. He appeared in TV shows such as Foyle's War and Emmerdale as well as blockbuster films such as Batman: The Dark Knight Rises, and James Cameron's 1986 sci-fi epic Aliens.

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