Who was Benjamin Zephaniah and how did he die?
FANS are mourning the loss of Benjamin Zephaniah after the star passed away in December 2023.
Zephaniah died at the age of 65, with his family confirming his cause of death in a heartfelt statement posted online.
Who was Benjamin Zephaniah?
Benjamin Zephaniah was a writer, poet and actor who passed away in December 2023.
He was born on April 15, 1958, in Birmingham.
One of his most prominent roles was as Jeremiah Jesus in Peaky Blinders.
He starred in six series of the drama, which also featured Cillian Murphy and Tom Hardy on the cast.
Throughout his career, Zephaniah also appeared on The Bill and QI.
Zephaniah was a talented writer and had published many collections of poetry before his death.
He was also the author of five novels and seven plays.
In 2008, The Times ranked Zephaniah of Britain’s top 50 post-war writers.
How did Benjamin Zephaniah die?
The news of Zephaniah’s death was confirmed in a statement that was posted to his Instagram account.
In the social media post it was revealed that the actor had been diagnosed with a brain tumour earlier in 2023.
The statement read: “It is with great sadness and regret that we announce the death of our beloved husband son and brother in the early hours of this morning.
“Benjamin was diagnosed with a brain tumour eight weeks ago.
“Benjamin’s wife was by his side throughout and was with him when he passed.
“We shared him with the world and we know many will be shocked and saddened by this news.”
The statement continued: “Benjamin was a true pioneer and innovator, he gave the world so much.
“Through an amazing career including a huge body of poems, literature, music, television and radio, Benjamin leaves us with a joyful and fantastic legacy.
“Thank you for the love you have shown Professor Benjamin Zephaniah.”
Who has paid tribute to Benjamin Zephaniah?
Tributes flooded in for Zephaniah shortly after the news of his death was announced.
Aston Villa, the team Zephaniah was an avid supporter of, said in a statement: “Everyone at Aston Villa is deeply saddened by news of the passing of legendary writer and poet, Benjamin Zephaniah.
“Named as one of Britain’s top 50 post-war writers in 2008, Benjamin was a lifelong Aston Villa fan and had served as an ambassador for the @AVFCFoundation.
“The thoughts and condolences of all at the club are with his family and friends at this time.”
Author, poet and broadcaster Michael Rosen took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share his thoughts on the tragic loss.
He wrote: “The tragic terrible news has come to me that Benjamin Zephaniah’s family have announced that Benjamin has died.
“I’m devastated. I admired him, respected him, learnt from him, loved him. Love and condolences to the family and to all who loved him too.”
The Black Writers’ Guild also shared an emotional statement online about Zephaniah’s passing, describing him as “a deeply valued friend” and a “titan of British literature”.
Loose Women panelist Charlene White paid her respects to Zephaniah on social media, writing: “Thank-you for everything Benjamin Zephaniah,” alongside a love heart emoji and a broken heart emoji.
The Black British Book Festival wrote on X: “We’re deeply saddened by the loss of Benjamin Zephaniah, a pioneering dub poet and author whose energy, vibe, and unapologetic work paved the way for Black British Writers.
“We’re forever grateful for his contributions and commitment. He’s legacy will live on forever.”