The wife of football star turned actor Vinnie Jones has died at the age of 53, their rep has confirmed.
Tanya’s death was announced on Saturday with a statement to The Sun.
It read: “At 8.46am local time in Los Angeles on Saturday July 6, Vinnie Jones‘ wife, Tanya Jones, passed away after a long illness.
“Tanya passed peacefully at the Jones’ family home surrounded by Vinnie, their daughter and other family members.
A source said her condition had worsened over the past few weeks.
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Tanya needed an emergency heart transplant in 1987, after giving birth to her daughter, Kaley, now 32.
In an interview with The Guardian in 2012, Vinnie, 54, said: “We’ve tried to live a normal life, and sometimes if we overdo it we think, ooh, we’ve got to steady up.
“But we don’t wrap her up in cotton wool. We haven’t got time to think about “what if” and “what about”.
“We make the most of life. We’ve been through a lot, so I just want her to enjoy life and for us to grow old together.”
The following year, both were diagnosed with the worst type of skin cancer, melanoma.
Tanya had previously twice suffered from cervical cancer.
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Vinnie was among a host of celebrities rumoured to be competing in Celebrity X Factor this autumn, but this may now not be possible.
A source told Mirror Online: “Vinnie was expected to appear on the show but that’s likely to change now as filming is due to start in LA in two days’ time.
“It’s been known for a while that he was going to take part but given the circumstances that probably won’t happen.
“Everyone is devastated for him and his family.”
Vinnie and Tanya married in Watford in 1994. They moved to LA when he retired from football, where he has carved out a successful acting career.
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