Junior Simpson, known for his role as the DJ in the wedding scene of the holiday classic Love Actually, has retired from acting after a series of strokes led to a vascular dementia diagnosis.
Health Struggles Force Career End
The beloved actor, who gained fame through the film, now faces significant health challenges that prevent him from performing and writing. Vascular dementia, triggered by the strokes, has ended his professional career in comedy and entertainment.
GoFundMe Campaign Launched for Support
Friend and comedy colleague Peter Vincent started a GoFundMe to assist Simpson’s wife, Emma, with living expenses amid these difficulties. Vincent explained in the campaign description:
“Hi everyone, Peter Vincent here. I’m setting up this GoFundMe to support our wonderful friend and comedy colleague, Junior Simpson.
“Emma, Junior’s wife, recently contacted Manford’s to share some very difficult news.
“Following a series of strokes, Junior has been diagnosed with vascular dementia and has had to retire from performing and writing.
“There will be a fundraising gig in due course, but if there’s one thing the comedy circuit has always done brilliantly, it’s look after its own.
“Junior has given so much to this industry over the years. Now it’s our turn to show up for him and his family.
“If you’re able to contribute, no matter the amount, it will make a real difference. And if you can’t, simply sharing this page will help enormously.
“Let’s rally round and do what we do best.”
Prominent figures including Adam Hills, Richard Osman, Paul Sinha from The Chase, Strictly Come Dancing’s Chris McCausland, and Michael McIntyre have donated to the fund.
Romantic Backstory with Wife Emma
Simpson met Emma in 2017 for a brief romance that ended, but they reconnected via a dating app in 2020 during the pandemic. Their relationship blossomed over long phone calls despite living apart—him in Birmingham, her in London—with limited in-person meetings due to lockdowns. They professed their love on Christmas Day 2020.
Simpson credited Emma with saving his life during a severe COVID episode. He recounted: “I fell in love and then she saved my life. I’d been talking to her in January and said I felt ill but would call back later or the next day. When I didn’t after three days she panicked – she knew I wouldn’t have ghosted her. She drove to my flat and found me lying on the floor, barely breathing. I had covid and had gone into a diabetic coma and was hours from death. I was on a ventilator for a month. Emma moved to be with me in Birmingham and I proposed in August, when I was again in hospital after having a minor stroke. It was a very tough time, but I’d go through it all again twice if it meant I still ended up with Emma.”
The couple married in May 2022 and now resides in Streatham, south London.
