'Home and Away' actor Ben Unwin, 41, found dead by police at home following concerns for his welfare
'Home and Away' star Ben Unwin, 41, who played the role of Jesse McGregor on the show has been discovered dead at his home.
The NSW police confirmed the actor's death and released a statement to Yahoo! Lifestyle on August 20. However, they did not disclose how Unwin died. A spokesperson for the police said, "Police attended Minyon Falls, Whian Whian, responding to a concern for welfare. The body of a 41-year-old man was located. The death has not been treated as suspicious."
Yahoo! Lifestyle revealed that Unwin had died last week a little before his 42nd birthday. Unwin played the role of Jesse McGregor in 1996 and then left the soap in 2000. He then returned to the show in 2002 and then left again in 2005. His 'Home and Away' co-star Ada Nicodemou took to social media to share a tribute to him. According to nine.com.au, she said that she had woken up to the tragic news of his death and that her thoughts and prayers were with the family. Nicodemou's character Leah Patterson-Baker was in a relationship with Unwin's on-screen character.
Actress Lynne McGranger spoke to the Daily Telegraph and said, "What a terrible tragedy. Sending my deepest condolences to his family and friends." Another of his co-stars, Kimberley Cooper, who played Gypsy Smith, said she was "just so sad" to hear of Unwin's death. "He was a gift to come to work with every day and to be on the receiving end of his friendship was to know unwavering support, loyalty, and love." She took to Instagram to pay a tribute to Unwin and shared a picture of them posing on the cover of TV Week.
Unwin's character had first appeared in the show at Summer Bay in 1996 and was a rebellious figure who did not have regard for the law. Unwin had started his career at the age of 12 and he played the lead in the Musical Seven Little Australians for a year at the Footbridge Theatre. In 1997, he was nominated for the Most Popular New Talent at the Logie Awards which is the Australian equivalent of the BAFTAs or Emmys.