, who starred in the hit Channel 4 soap Brookside, knew "something wasn't right" amid his cancer battle. The actor had encouraged others to "trust their gut" after he admitted to leaving his health "in the hands of fate" after being diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2018.

On Thursday, 30 November it was announced that the Jimmy Corkhill actor had passed away at the age of 68. A statement from both Hamilton Management and Dean's family read: "To millions he was and very much still is remembered as 'Jimmy', to family and friends he was 'Dino'.

"Dean's family wants to thank Arrowe Park Hospital for their unwavering and consistent support. We ask that you respect their privacy in their time of grief."

It has not yet been confirmed the cause of his death. However, last year Dean was discharged after undergoing HDR (High Dose Rate) Brachytherapy and Radiotherapy treatment for his prostate cancer.

He previously spoke about his diagnosis with Liverpool Echo and said: "The way I dealt with it was that I just sort of put myself in the hands of fate. If this was my time, then this was my time so I was quite philosophical about it really.

"I know that people would worry themselves into an early grave as it were but I'm not that sort of person, I try to keep positive about things and I just got on with my life."

Before his diagnosis, the Brookside actor revealed he didn't notice many of the symptoms that are usually associated with prostate cancer. However, he noticed a reduction in the strength of flow when he went to the toilet and decided to get checked after listening to his gut instinct.

At first, he was told to keep an eye on it by medical professionals, before a second doctor provided a 30-second examination which revealed his prostate was enlarged. Further tests revealed his cancer diagnosis and Dean encouraged others to push for closer examination if they feel something isn't right.

"Sometimes people think they’re bothering the doctor unnecessarily but we shouldn’t be embarrassed to go back," he told Prostate Cancer UK.

He added: "If I'd have listened to the first doctor, it might have been a different story so always trust your gut, 11 times out of 10, you're right, we've still got that fight or flight instinct."

After his diagnosis, Dean only told a handful of his close friends and family. He previously revealed to The Mirror: "I remember being a bit shell shocked really, because even though we know these days that one in three of us will be diagnosed with cancer of some sort, you never think it will be you.

"Also, there's the situation when you think 'I don't want to tell this story again', so only my closest family and friends knew. It was one of those when I thought 'just get on with it and what will be will be'."

It's thought that Dean was the longest-serving member of the Channel 4 soap Brookside – which stopped running in 2003.

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