Home and Away star dies aged 43, months after mum Rosemary Margan’s death

Home and Away actress Catherine Godbold has died at the age of 43, just months after her famous mum Rosemary Margan’s tragic death.

Cathy, who famously starred as Meg Bowman on the Aussie TV show, as well as Deborah Hale on The Saddle Club from 2001-03, passed away in hospital on Friday, a family friend confirmed to Nine News.

Cathy has been battling brain cancer for more than a decade, after first being diagnosed in May 2007 – forcing her to quit acting to receive treatment. She reportedly managed to beat the disease at the time, but it later returned in January this year.

Family friend Sally Browne described Cathy as “wonderful and talented”, and told the publication: “Like all brain tumours, it eventually took over and it was just a tragic, tragic end.”

She revealed the actress – whose character Meg had a heartbreaking beach death scene on Home and Away – would “sit bolt upright and dance” whenever Coldplay CDs were played to her in hospital.

Speaking at the time of her first diagnosis, Cathy told reporters: “It was a terrible shock to find out I was ill. Because I am young and healthy I have a much better chance of beating it.

“I want to get healthy and get back to work as soon as possible. I feel tired as the treatment does knock you for six.”

The actress’ step-father Ross Mitchell revealed Cathy only discovered the cancer had returned in January, after seeking treatment for a broken foot.

“The cancer reappeared in the same place and it was impossible to treat it and certainly impossible to operate,” he told the Daily Telegraph.

“It progressed at a very, very quick rate, much quicker than anybody expected.”

Tragically, it comes just six months after her mother, Australian television and radio favourite Margan, died at the age of 80 in December.

Read more: Aussie TV favourite Rosemary Margan dies, aged 80

Margan became a household name in the 1960s when she appeared alongside some of the biggest names in television, including Bert Newton and Graham Kennedy.

The effervescent star won three Logies during her television career, but eventually left the bright lights of the stage to work on radio at 3AW alongside her brother-in-law Neil Mitchell.

After 19 years at the station, Margan retired from the Morning show in 2007, and had been living on the Gold Coast in recent years.

She reflected on her remarkable career at the time of her retirement, telling the Herald Sun that she felt felt “pretty lucky” to have enjoyed a such a long run in media.

Do you have a message for the family? Do you remember watching either of the stars?