Riders star Marcus Gilbert dies: Rupert Campbell-Black actor passes away following cancer battle aged 67… two years after finding love with co-star Lysette Anthony
Riders star Marcus Gilbert has passed away at the age of 67 after a battle with cancer.
The actor, best known for his role as the swooning Rupert Campbell-Black in the 1993 TV adaptation of Jilly Cooper’s Riders, passed away on Sunday.
The star’s fan site, who was recently in a relationship with Lysette Anthony, shared the news on Facebook: ‘Today, Sunday, January 11, 2026, we heard the very sad news that Marcus lost his battle with cancer…
“Along with his many fans around the world, we will mourn his loss and remember the joy he gave us on screen and in person. RIP Marcus.’
Tributes poured in for the star after the news was announced, with fans writing: ‘I went home to the arms of the angels and Homaa… Oh my god. RIP Marcus… So sad.. Very sad news. RIP…Rest in peace’.
Marcus’s passing comes after he found love with Riders co-star Lysette (hailed as ‘the face of the 1980s’ by photographer David Bailey) 33 years after their first on-screen kiss.
Riders star Marcus Gilbert has passed away aged 67 following a battle with cancer (pictured with co-star Annabel Giles from the 1993 show)
Marcus photographed with his partner and former co-star Lysette Anthony
Marcus is seen in a steamy scene with co-star Cecile Paoli
It was revealed at the time that twice-divorced Lysette had fallen ‘head over heels’.
A friend of the 59-year-old actress, whose last divorce took place in 2003, explained at the time: ‘This is a serious love story and has been going on for a while. They make a cute couple. Lysette is very fond of him.’
Lysette posted photos of the two together on social media.
In May 2023, photos of them kissing in the 1990 film A Ghost In Monte Carlo, an adaptation of the 1951 Barbara Cartland cauldron in which she starred in when she was 26, were cut, along with photos of them now together.
She captioned her Instagram post: ‘My Love Forever’.
Marcus also appeared in films such as Rambo III and Doctor Who, and was considered for the role of James Bond in the late 1980s, but lost out to Timothy Dalton.
Praise poured in from the star’s Facebook fan page
The handsome star became famous for his role in the movie Bonkbuster
