'I can't take my Christmas trees down': Kate Beckinsale remembers his late stepfather's birthday

Kate Beckinsale remembers her late stepfather Roy Battersby's birthday. The actress celebrated her stepfather's birthday on April 20 with an emotional post on Instagram in which she shared photos celebrating his special day last year.

“The birthday we didn't know was your last,” said Beckinsale, who recently returned home from the hospital with undisclosed health issues. There will be no FaceTime today. I watch you open your presents in the middle of the night. “No one has received gifts with greater joy,” she wrote in her caption

The actress continued: “I can’t take down my Christmas trees. They were the last Christmas trees in the world that I will decorate with you. This birthday/not birthday, Christmas/not Christmas in April.”

Oh Roy, oh God, I miss you,” Beckinsale added of her stepfather, who died in January at age 87 after a short illness. Her heartwarming caption clearly shows that she actually misses him terribly.

Further details on the death of Roy Battersby

Beckinsale announced the death of her stepfather, who was married to her mother, Judy Loe, in a post on her Instagram Stories in January.

“It is with great sadness that the family of film and television director Roy Battersby announces the news of his recent death following a short illness,” the statement said. “He passed away peacefully on January 10, 2024 in Los Angeles. with his family, 87 years old. The funeral will take place in London, details to follow,” it added.

Although there aren't many details about his cause of death, he reportedly suffered a massive stroke and was also battling two types of cancer that were diagnosed last summer.

A brief background on Roy Battersby's career

Roy Battersby was best known for his work on detective dramas including Inspector Morse, Cracker and A Touch Of Frost.

Michael Battersby began his theater career working behind the scenes at the Nottingham Playhouse before moving to the BBC in 1963. His early work for the network included directing Men and Money, a series about city workers, and producing the first three seasons of Tomorrow's World from 1965 to 1967.

While working at the BBC, Roy moved into directing dramas. In 1969 he created Some Women, a reconstruction of the real accounts of female prisoners. The film exemplified Roy's distinct style of realistic and naturalistic filmmaking. He was also a remarkable director, fondly remembered by those who worked with him in front of and behind the camera. Above all, he was a great man who left behind a commendable legacy in his own right.