Emmerdale star tragically died at 48 after waiting for kidney transplant
Kitty McGeever, known for her role as the vivacious Lizzie Lakely on ITV’s Emmerdale, passed away at the age of 48 back in 2015, after a long battle with health issues which ultimately led to her waiting for a kidney transplant. Kitty made history as the first blind actress to join a British soap cast regularly, a milestone in UK TV and in diversity.
Diagnosed with diabetes at just 19, Kitty faced numerous health challenges over the years. During her pregnancy, she developed pre-eclampsia, which resulted in her son Felix being born two months premature. Sadly, Felix's early life was fraught with difficulties; after spending time in a special care unit, he experienced serious health complications at just four months old, affecting both his heart and lungs.
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The stress of caring for her unwell son took a severe toll on the actress’s health. She experienced kidney failure, heart issues, and diabetic retinopathy, which gradually led to her losing her vision. She underwent laser treatment to help, but despite th procedure, her eyesight deteriorated, and by the age of 32, she was completely blind. Tragically, her son Felix passed away from his health complications in January 2003 at just 15 months old.
Speaking to The Mirror in 2009, Kitty shared: "They told me I had this condition that would usually take five to 10 years to take my sight, but it took five months because of all the stress."
Following her health struggles, Kitty received a kidney transplant in a successful 12 hour surgery. After her recovery, she expressed her desire to return to acting and contacted her agent in 2008. It was then that she was discovered by the production team at Emmerdale - Kitty had been performing in a one woman stage show where she candidly discussed her experiences as a blind woman when she was scouted for the soap.
Kitty’s portrayal of lovable Lizzie Lakely was a firm favourite with fans. In a 2009 interview with the BBC, Kitty said that her character Lizzie "is irreverent, she's naughty, she's manipulative in the extreme… She uses her disability to her advantage and then disregards it to her advantage whenever and whichever way she chooses."
Sadly, in February 2013, reports emerged that she had been hospitalised and was on the waiting list for a heart transplant. While her sister, Caroline Mitchell, a scriptwriter for Emmerdale, refuted the claims about a heart transplant, she confirmed that Kitty was indeed on the transplant register.
Kitty passed away on 16 August 2015, aged just 48, and it was reported that she had asked for her organs to be donated to help others. Her final acting role was in the 2016 horror film, The Unfolding.
At the time, an Emmerdale spokesperson said: "Kitty was a great talent and a true inspiration to all who worked with her. The cast and crew are devastated at her passing and she will be missed tremendously and remembered fondly by all of us."
The news of the actress's passing has left a profound impact on Emmerdale fans and the soap itself - but her legacy as a pioneering actress and her strength in the face of adversity isn’t forgotten, even today.
