‘Only Fools and Horses’ Star Dies at 68 — Cause of Death Revealed
Patrick Murray, best known for playing Mickey Pearce in Only Fools and Horses, has died at the age of 68.
The sad news was confirmed on an Only Fools fanpage, which said: “It is with heartfelt sadness that we report the death of our friend Patrick Murray – Mickey Pearce to so many. He was a regular attendee of our conventions, and we will miss his humour and the joy he brought to many.”
Patrick Murray
— Only Fools and Horses News (@onlyfoolsnews) October 2, 2025
It is with heartfelt sadness that we report the death of our friend Patrick Murray – Mickey Pearce to so many
He was a regular attendee of our conventions and we will miss his humour and the joy he bought to many
Sleep Well Pat! pic.twitter.com/YEvXkJaGX7
Murray had been open about his health struggles in recent years. He was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2021, and although he was told in 2022 that treatment had worked, the illness came back and spread to his legs and pelvis the following year. He died in his sleep on 29 September 2025.
Tributes have already started to pour in. The Only Fools podcast wrote on X: “This never gets easier … rest in peace, Patrick Murray. Patrick was a very talented & clever actor with impeccable timing. He really bought ‘Mickey Pearce’ to life with a mischievous charm.”
Murray played Mickey Pearce in 20 episodes of Only Fools and Horses from 1983 to 2003. His character was a wheeler dealer who often clashed with Rodney, usually while boasting about business deals or his luck with women.
Outside of the sitcom, he appeared in films like The Firm and Curse of the Pink Panther, but later stepped away from acting. He worked as a taxi driver in Kent and also spent several years living in Thailand. During that time, he married his wife Anong in 2016 and the couple welcomed a daughter, Josie.
Life wasn’t always easy for him. He battled alcoholism in the 1990s before turning his life around with the help of Alcoholics Anonymous.
He later opened up about how tough it was being separated from his family because of visa issues. Speaking on Loose Women in 2018, he explained: “Being out of the industry for so long, the work dried up so I went back to driving an executive car, a Mercedes, to do it. I only saw my baby on the phone for two years, I was a Skype dad.”
Murray made a brief return to acting in 2019 with a role in the series Conditions, but his health continued to get in the way. In 2018 he had revealed he was also living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and he received treatment for that as well.
Despite his illnesses, Murray kept in touch with fans through conventions and charity events. In 2018 he had even planned a fundraising bus trip for a children’s hospice, though it was cancelled when his health got worse.
Patrick Murray will be remembered by many for bringing Mickey Pearce to life with humour and cheek, and for his warmth off screen too.
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