TV Actor William Rush Dead at 31

William Rush has died.

The TV actor, best known for his role as Josh Stevenson in the BBC One drama Waterloo Road, passed away on Wednesday, his mom, former Coronation Street star Debbie Rush, shared on Instagram.

“Our beautiful baby boy, William, passed away on 17th December,” she wrote. “As a family, our hearts are completely broken, and there are no words that can truly capture the depth of our loss. Even in our darkest moment, William gave the most precious gift of all. Through being an organ donor, he has given hope and life to other families, thinking of others right to the very end. His kindness and love will forever be part of his legacy. We kindly ask that our privacy be respected as we navigate this unimaginable grief. William will always be loved, always missed, and forever in our hearts. #bekind”

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William Rush was born on July 6, 1994, in Bury, Greater Manchester, England. He attended Bamford Academy and trained at the Manchester School of Acting. He followed in his mother’s footsteps, with his acting career beginning in 2007. He had appearances in Channel 4’s Shameless and BBC Three’s Drop Dead Gorgeous, and that same year, he landed a recurring role as Ali Duncan in the BBC children’s series Grange Hill. Rush’s breakout role came in 2009 with Waterloo Road, starring as Josh Stevenson until 2013.

Additional credits include The Street, Casualty, Coronation Street, and Vera. Rush’s final role was in 2017 as George Young for two episodes of the miniseries Friday on My Mind. In addition to acting, Rush auditioned for The X Factor in 2016, making it to the Six-Chair Challenge, which comes in between Boot Camp and the Judges’ Houses and is the third of four elimination stages.

Following the death of fellow Waterloo Road star Lorraine Cheshire on Friday, the BBC shared a tribute to Rush and Cheshire on Instagram on Monday. “A very sad week for the Waterloo Road family. We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of William Rush and Lorraine Cheshire,” reads the statement. “Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences go out to their families and friends during this very difficult time. It was privilege to know and work with them.