Gemma Oaten feels grateful for the "guidance and support" the late Freddie Jones gave her on ‘Emmerdale’.
The 35-year-old actress – who previously played Rachel Breckle on the show for five years until 2015 – has paid tribute to her former co-star after it was revealed the Sandy Thomas actor had sadly passed away on Tuesday (09.07.19) at the age of 91 following a short illness.
She wrote on Twitter: "RIP freddie Jones. I will never forget our time together on @Emmerdale you gave me so much guidance and support. Absolutely gutted. Look after Edna’s hat too xx (sic)"
Freddie enjoyed a 13-year stint on the ITV soap before leaving in 2018, and many of his former cast mates took to social media to pay their respects.
Katherine Dow Blyton (Harriet Finch) said: "Will be raising a glass or two tonight to the wonderful Freddie Jones. So lucky to have worked with this legend.
"A very special man. R.I.P Freddie… ‘If there’s another world, he lives in bliss; If there is none, he made the best of this.’ "
Mark Charnock – who plays Marlon Dingle – admitted it was difficult to find the right words to do justice to Freddie.
He added: "Very hard to put into words what the remarkable Freddie Jones meant to us all. Was lucky enough to share a dressing room for over a decade.
"The laughs, wisdom, anecdotes, the blazing, wonderful personality, the enormous talent. Above all things, he was our lovely #Freddie (sic)"
The ITV soap’s official social media account also offered some kind words after the news of Freddie’s death.
They said in a statement: "Everyone at Emmerdale is deeply sad to hear about the death of one of the show’s most brilliant actors and favourite human beings, Freddie Jones. #Emmerdale (sic)"
Freddie – who also appeared in movies including ‘The Elephant Man’, ‘Dune’ and ‘Wild At Heart’, and 1992 TV series ‘On The Air’ – had three sons with wife Jennifer, including actor Toby Jones.
Freddie bowed out of his ‘Emmerdale’ role as Sandy in February 2018, but admitted afterwards that he wasn’t technically retiring because actors pass away rather than call it a day.
He said: "Actors don’t retire – they die. The story goes that Sir John Gielgud, at the age of 96, rang Maggie Smith and said in a deep depression, ‘They’ve forgotten me – they don’t know who I am any more.’
"He apparently added, ‘I’m seriously thinking about changing my agent.’ He then died, so – in some sense – he did."
Gemma Oaten shares tribute to Freddie Jones
