Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville inundated with support amid sad update
Hugh Bonneville is honouring his "old school chum" and author, Guy Deacon. Returning to Instagram on Wednesday, the Downton Abbey star issued an update after learning that his dear friend had suffered a stroke.
Posting photos of Guy, Hugh encouraged his fans to grab a copy of his pal's book, which he hailed as a "superb, inspiring account of living a full life with Parkinson's." A wonderful cause, all proceeds from 'Running on Empty' will be shared among various Parkinson's charities through The Deacon Foundation.
"It was an honour to interview my old school chum earlier this year as part of his book tour," Hugh explained in the caption. "Guy has since had a stroke and the promotional tour has been put on hold, so I'd love it if you could buy a copy of 'Running on Empty' and support Guy's incredible fundraising efforts for The Deacon Foundation, @cureparkinsons and @parkinsonsafrica."
Shortly after posting, Hugh's friends and followers rallied around him in support. Sarah Stein – the wife of celebrity chef, Rick Stein – said: "Buying it @bonhughbon. Both my grandfathers had Parkinson's and they were very brave like your friend."
"Consider it done. My gran had Parkinson's and I saw how it affected not just her but those around her," replied a fan. Meanwhile, another noted: "This is a great book, I bought it earlier in the year. Parkinson's is horrendous. I hope Guy is doing ok."
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Back in April, Hugh joined Guy at North Cadbury Court in Somerset, where he interviewed the esteemed Parkinson's campaigner. Billed as "an evening of reminiscence, high emotion and friendship," the event marked a poignant reunion between the long-standing pals, who attended school together in Sherborne.
After hosting the charity fundraiser, Hugh said: "Parkinson's is such a cruel and present illness and I hope we have shone a light on the importance of researching a cure and providing a future for those who suffer with the condition."
Guy – a former British Army soldier – has been living with Parkinson's for over a decade, which prompted him to plan an adventure, driving 18,000 miles from his home in Dorset to the southern tip of Africa. His story is the subject of a Channel 4 documentary, helmed by Rob Hayward.
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Revered for his courage and candour, Guy has spoken about his experience of Parkison's. "There are days when you can walk and function relatively normally and then days when all I can do is just lay on the floor unable to move," he reflected.
"It is a very isolating disease, it robs you of your humanity, your personality, your ability to smile and laugh. You lose friends and connections, if you can't even pick up the phone, people start to drift away. During the trip, there were days when I was overcome with exhaustion and just had to sleep where I could."
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He added that the people he'd met on his journey to Cape Town had inspired him to "carry on" and had considered planning another trip to America.
