Tragedy as The Saddle Club and Home and Away actress Cathy Godbold dies aged 43 after losing decade-long battle with brain cancer that left her unable to remember the roles that made her famous

• Australian actress Catherine Godbold was known for her character Deborah Hale
• The youthful star hadn’t acted professionally since her brain tumour diagnosis
• Tumour was removed in 2007 when Saddle Club was renewed for season three
• According to her personal Facebook she had been volunteering at a hospital 
• Told friends she couldn’t remember roles that made her famous after surgery
• Her death comes just six months after her TV personality mum died from cancer

Actress Catherine Godbold, best known for her role as Deborah Hale Regnery on The Saddle Club, has died at the age of 43, a family spokesman has confirmed.

The star was diagnosed with brain cancer in May 2007, forcing to quit acting before The Saddle Club was picked up for a third season.

‘Cathy’, as she was nicknamed, had the tumour removed and began radiotherapy. She managed to beat the disease.

But more than a decade later Ms Godbold has succumbed to the illness, Nine News reports.

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Ms Godbold played the iconic role of Deborah Hale on the teenage drama series (pictured)

At the time of her diagnosis she said: ‘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.’

Her death comes less than six months after her mother, Australian television and radio personality Rosemary Margan, died after battling her own cancer diagnosis for 17 years.

Her stepfather Ross Mitchell told The Daily Telegraph his daughter had been in hospital with a broken foot in January this year when she was told the cancer had aggressively returned.   

‘The cancer reappeared in the same place and it was impossible to treat it and certainly impossible to operate,’ he said on Friday.

‘It progressed at a very, very quick rate, much quicker than anybody expected.’

During Ms Godbold’s time playing attractive journalist Deborah Hale on The Saddle Club, her character falls in love with the stables owner, Max Regnery.

According to Saddle Club TV, the actress said the best part about working on the series for 32 episodes was her cast mates.

According to Saddle Club TV , Ms Godbold said the best part about working on the series for 32 episodes was her cast mates

Ms Godbold (far back) pictured with her Home and Away castmates, including Kate Ritchie (left)

‘The three young stars treat me like I am their older sister, coming to me for advice and telling me about teenage crushes but the best part of working with so many children are the hugs I get all day,’ she said.

Her mother being a prominent TV and radio personality, and her father a television director, meant acting was always in Ms Godbold’s blood.

‘The world of entertainment was almost inbred; I was surrounded by it all my life, going to the television studios with my mother and always hearing stories about the industry. I always knew I wanted to be part of it,’ she said. 

She studied acting for many years, did three years of classical ballet, tap and jazz and won a singing scholarship to the prestigious Victorian College of the Arts

Ms Godbold was the youngest singer ever to be accepted into this college but had to cut her course short when she was offered a role in iconic television series Home and Away (pictured)

She studied acting for many years, did three years of classical ballet, tap and jazz and won a singing scholarship to the prestigious Victorian College of the Arts. 

Ms Godbold was the youngest singer ever to be accepted into this college but had to cut her course short when she was offered a role in iconic television series Home and Away.

She played Meg Bowman on the soap, who dies on the beach in the arms of her boyfriend Blake Dean, played by Les Hill, from leukaemia. 

Her mother is well-known Australian television and radio personality Rosemary Margan (pictured) and her father is a television director

She played Meg Bowman on the soapie, who dies on the beach in the arms of her boyfriend Blake Dean, played by Les Hill, from leukemia (Ms Godbold is second from the left)

It is still considered one of the most memorable scenes in the show’s long history. 

Ms Godbold occasionally posted some of her old acting clips to Facebook, and even spoke about ‘not remembering’ filming the scenes after she was diagnosed with brain cancer. 

She will be laid to rest at Springvale Cemetery in Melbourne on Thursday. 

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