Star Wars and Harry Potter actor Warwick Davis has opened up about a new love in his life, more than a year after the tragic death of his beloved wife Samantha

Actor Warwick Davis has revealed he has found love again 12 months on from the death of his beloved wife.

Samantha Davis died last March aged 53, with Warwick and their two children confirming the sad news at the time. The actor has now opened up about a new special person in his life while chatting with Jonathan Ross on the host’s chat show.

During the interview, set to air on Saturday, Jonathan quizzed Warwick on his moving BAFTAs speech, in which he mentioned a mystery person who had been helping him grieve. The Harry Potter star remained coy about the new lady in his life, referring to her only as ‘Sponge’ or ‘She-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named.”Warwick Davis delivered a poignant tribute to his beloved late wife Samantha as he was honoured with the BAFTA Fellowship last month, the highest accolade from the British Academy. The Star Wars veteran, 55, emotionally dedicated his award to Samantha.

Warwick Davis met his late wife on the set of a Hollywood film ( 
Image:
warwickadavis/Instagram)

In his stirring speech, Warwick acknowledged his late wife’s unwavering support during his professional journey and shared his feelings about life after her loss. “Above all though, I’d like to dedicate and thank my wonderful wife Sammy, who died almost a year ago,” he expressed.

“She was always so supportive of my career – encouraged me to grab every opportunity with both hands. However, I soon noticed that her level of enthusiasm for me taking a particular role was often relative to how much she wanted that designer handbag.”

Coping with his sorrow has been challenging, but Warwick extended his gratitude to their children, Annabelle and Harrison, for enabling him to stay active and involved in life. He then fought back tears while disclosing his experience with finding love once more, saying: “Special mention too should go to Sponge. You know who you are. Thank you for showing me that life can still have meaning and for helping me to laugh and to love again.”

This heartrending address occured not long after the tragic death of Warwick’s wife Samantha at the age of 53. He confirmed the sombre news in March 2024, revealing how her death left an immense void in their family life, in a profoundly moving statement. Warwick described Samantha as his “most trusted confidant and an ardent supporter of everything I did in my career”.

The couple had been together for 33 years and had two children. Their romantic journey began on the set of the 1988 film Willow, where Warwick, then 17, secured the lead role as Willow Ufgood, with Samantha, then just 16, working as an extra. Sparks flew instantly between them.

The Harry Potter actor has revealed he has found love again ( 
Image:
LightRocket via Getty Images)
Four years after their enchanting encounter, they exchanged vows in 1991 and expanded their family to include four children. However, they faced heartbreak when their firstborn, Lloyd, tragically passed away at nine days old. Their daughter Anabelle Davis, now 27, has followed in the footsteps of her father, carving out a successful acting career with roles in Hollyoaks and The Dumping Ground.

Sadly, the family also endured the pain of losing another son, George, during pregnancy, following two prior miscarriages before the arrivals of Annabelle and Harrison. In a candid discussion with Bear Grylls back in 2019, Warwick disclosed: “Prior to Annabelle and Harrison we had a baby boy, Lloyd, who inherited both our conditions… and that is something that proves fatal.” He added, “It’s something that a baby won’t survive. But Lloyd survived for nine days, but yeah he was beautiful. It was a tough time. And yeah, we had a stillborn too.”

Despite the heartache of their losses, Warwick shares that these tough times only strengthened the bond between him and his wife Samantha. Warwick, who has a rare genetic condition known as spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita (SED), was once told he wouldn’t walk or live beyond his teens.

Samantha, on the other hand, had achondroplasia, the most common form of dwarfism. Their children, Annabelle and Harrison, also have SED. In 2018, Samantha faced a life-threatening battle with sepsis after surgery, which left her family fearing the worst. Warwick opened up to The Sun about those dark days: “I broke down every night thinking that this terrible illness that came out of nowhere might take my soulmate away from me.”

Warwick later admitted that in 2022, Samantha was still dealing with “some PTSD from her experience,” and revealed that he was struggling with it as well. After Samantha’s death last year, Warwick paid tribute to her resilient and joyful nature. “She was a unique character, always seeing the sunny side of life she had a wicked sense of humour and always laughed at my bad jokes,” he reminisced.

Their children also honoured their mother’s memory, saying: “Mum is our best friend and we’re honoured to have received a love like hers. With her by my side, I was sure I could achieve anything, it was like having a super-power.”

Warwick credited his professional triumphs to the unwavering support of his wife, admitting: “Without Sammy, there would have been no Tenable quiz show, no Willow series. No Idiot Abroad Series 3. She was passionate about helping people, without judgment. She had time for everyone and a genuine listening ear.”