Warwick Davis makes first public appearance with daughter since death of wife Samantha

Warwick Davis and his daughter delighted crowds as they attended the Pride of Britain Awards 2024, marking the first time the duo had been seen since the death of his wife Samantha

Star Wars and Willow actor Warwick Davis has made his first public appearance on the red carpet since announcing the death of his much loved wife Samantha earlier this year. The 54 year old actor, who has become a staple of Hollywood in recent years, put on a brave face alongside his daughter, Hollyoaks star Annabel, 29, as they attended the glamorous Pride of Britain Awards in central London on Monday evening.

Dressed in a dapper velvet blazer, the Harry Potter star was all smiles as he posed for photos alongside Annabel, who herself kept things chic in a a black ensemble topped with a check brown coat, reports The Sun.

The milestone appearance marked the first public engagement since the family announced the heartbreaking loss of matriarch Samantha. Warwick’s wife of 33 years passed away on March 24, and her death "left a huge hole" in their family.

The couple first met as teenagers and romance soon blossomed, with the couple later tying the knot and welcoming two children together as well as having shared a keen love of performance. Speaking at the time, Warwick said:"Her passing has left a huge hole in our lives as a family. I miss her hugs. She was a unique character, always seeing the sunny side of life she had a wicked sense of humour and always laughed at my bad jokes.”

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The couple’s two children, Harrison and Annabelle also paid tribute to their beloved mum, as they explained how "her love and happiness carried us through our whole lives".

They said: "Mum is our best friend and we're honoured to have received a love like hers.”

Much like her husband and daughter, Samantha was also an accomplished actress and appeared in several productions including 1989’s children’s series Through the Dragon’s Eye, and even shared a screen with her Warwick in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 back in 2010.

Reflecting on how big an impact she had played on his life, Warwick told the BBC : "With her by my side, I was sure I could achieve anything, it was like having a super-power. Without Sammy, there would have been no Tenable quiz show, no Willow series. No Idiot Abroad Series 3.”

During the course of their relationship, the couple had undergone several hardships and tragedies, including the loss of their baby Lloyd just nine days after his birth in 1991. Warwick and Samantha also suffered a second tragedy when they lost their unborn baby George, at 20 weeks in 1993.

Samantha then suffered a further two miscarriages before safely welcoming Annabelle and George into the world.

The actress also had a number of other health difficulties too, including several surgeries to treat her achondroplasia, a bone growth disorder that causes disproportionate dwarfism, as well as complications arising from compression surgery on her spine.

Following the 2019 procedure, Samantha contracted life threatening sepsis, and very nearly died after her immune system began to attack itself. Thankfully medics were able to treat the infection, but had it not been for their swift intervention, she could potentially have lost her limbs.

Despite her health woes however, Samantha was still a loving wife, mother and positive person, with many of her fans commending how she could ‘light up a room’.

Sadly, it was announced back in April 2024 that she had passed away in March.