The BBC News Channel reports that Russell T Davies describes his greatest loss to be his partner, who passed on from a brain tumour.

Speaking during an appearance on the Marie Curie Couch podcast, the celebrated screenwriter opened up about the loss of his husband Andrew Smith, who passed away in September 2018 after receiving treatment for glioblastoma multiforme over an eight-year period.

The couple, who had shared their lives together for two decades, wed in 2012. Davies, who hails from Swansea and created television hits including It's a Sin and Tip Toe for Channel 4, described caring for his late husband as demanding but emphasised he would willingly do it for another half-century "without a single complaint".

Davies revealed he was not present when Smith initially received his diagnosis, as the pair believed it was merely a routine hospital meeting. When Smith returned home, he informed Davies he had cancer but could not recall the specific type.

"He said it's a brain tumour. I said 'what sort of brain tumour?' And he just couldn't remember," Davies recounted. "All he knew is he had another appointment in a week, so I said I would come to that obviously."

Three days later, Smith discovered a note in his bag written by a nurse, which read "glioblastoma multiforme". This refers to a malignant brain tumour – a form of cancer that originates in the brain or reaches it from elsewhere in the body. The severity depends on factors such as the tumour's size, whether it has spread, and the patient's overall health.

Davies admitted that only after researching the diagnosis did he fully grasp the gravity of the situation. When his husband first learned of the illness, Smith made a "remarkable decision" to avoid discovering his prognosis.

"It was completely to my surprise," Davies said, adding that he believed this choice may have helped his husband endure his fight with cancer. He recalled turning to a nurse for advice: "I know how bad it is, shouldn't he know how bad it is?"

The nurse told Davies she had encountered similar cases before and assured him that as long as someone close to Smith understood the severity, it was acceptable for Smith to remain unaware of the details.

Davies said he was informed his husband had roughly 18 months left to live, but Smith defied expectations by surviving for eight years – a feat Davies described as "amazing".

He also paid tribute to the Marie Curie nurses who supported Smith during his final weeks, likening their presence to having a "saint visiting the house". Davies recalled holding his husband's hand as he passed away at home, with Davies' sister also present – a moment he described as "very important" to him.

"I'm really glad he was at home," he added.