Russell T Davies is one of Britain’s best-known television writers, with a career that has included some of the UK’s most popular and influential television dramas. He is especially known for his work on Doctor Who, Queer as Folk, It’s a Sin, and Years and Years.
Away from his successful writing career, Davies has experienced a deeply personal love story that has also been marked by profound loss. His late husband, Andrew Smith, was an important part of his life for almost two decades.
Davies met Smith in 1999, and their relationship continued for many years before they entered a civil partnership in 2012. Smith later became seriously ill with an aggressive brain tumor, and Davies stepped away from his writing career for a period of time to care for him.
Smith died at home in September 2018 at the age of 54. His death had a lasting impact on Davies, who has spoken about the enormous grief that followed.
In more recent years, Davies has also found love again and is reportedly in a relationship with model Oliver Cole.
Who Was Russell T Davies’ Husband?
Russell T Davies’ late husband was Andrew Smith, a customs officer whom Davies met in 1999.
Their relationship lasted for nearly 20 years, making Smith one of the most significant people in Davies’ personal life. Although Davies became a major public figure through his television work, he generally kept much of his relationship with Smith away from the spotlight.
The couple eventually formalized their relationship by entering a civil partnership in 2012.
Their partnership came during an important period in Davies’ career. He had already become an influential figure in British television and was known for helping revive Doctor Who for a modern audience.
Behind the professional success, however, Davies was sharing his life with Smith, who remained a central part of his world.
How Did Russell T Davies Meet Andrew Smith?
Davies met Andrew Smith in 1999.
Their relationship began long before Davies reached some of the biggest milestones of his television career. Over the years, Smith was there as Davies developed into one of Britain’s most respected television writers.
The pair built a life together over many years, and their relationship continued through major changes in Davies’ professional career.
For Davies, Smith was not simply a partner who appeared alongside his public career. He was someone who shared nearly two decades of his personal life and became an important source of companionship and support.
Russell T Davies and Andrew Smith’s Civil Partnership
After more than a decade together, Davies and Smith entered a civil partnership in 2012.
At the time, civil partnerships represented an important legal milestone for same-sex couples in the United Kingdom. For Davies and Smith, it provided a formal recognition of a relationship that had already lasted many years.
Their partnership continued for several more years as Davies remained active in television and writing.
However, their lives changed dramatically when Smith was diagnosed with a serious illness.
Andrew Smith’s Battle With a Brain Tumor
Andrew Smith was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumor known as glioblastoma.
The illness became a major part of the couple’s final years together. Smith battled the disease for approximately eight years, according to accounts about his life and Davies’ experience during that period.
The illness eventually had a significant effect on Davies’ own life and career.
Davies took approximately two and a half years away from writing so he could care for Smith. Stepping away from such a successful career was a major decision, but it reflected how important Smith was to him.
For someone whose professional life had been built around television and writing, taking an extended break meant putting career plans aside in order to focus on the person he loved.
Davies’ Decision to Care for His Husband
Davies’ decision to become a caregiver during Smith’s illness is one of the most emotional parts of their story.
Writing had been Davies’ career and passion for decades, but Smith’s health became the priority. Rather than continuing to work at the same pace, Davies devoted significant time to caring for his husband during his illness.
The experience also gave Davies a very different perspective on life outside the television industry.
The years were undoubtedly difficult, particularly as glioblastoma is an aggressive form of brain cancer. Davies was forced to watch someone he had shared much of his adult life with battle a devastating illness.
That period ultimately changed him personally and professionally.
When Did Andrew Smith Die?
Andrew Smith sadly died at home in September 2018.
He was 54 years old.
His death represented an enormous personal loss for Davies. After almost two decades together, Davies was suddenly facing life without the partner who had been beside him through some of the most important years of his life.
Davies has spoken about Smith’s death and the profound grief that followed. He has described it as his greatest loss.
The impact of Smith’s death could also be seen in Davies’ later creative work.
Russell T Davies Dedicated Years and Years to Andrew Smith
One of the clearest examples of Andrew Smith’s lasting influence on Davies’ work is the BBC drama Years and Years.
Davies dedicated the acclaimed series to Smith’s memory.
The drama explores family, relationships, politics, technology and an uncertain future. While it is not simply a story about Davies’ own life, knowing the personal circumstances surrounding its creation adds another layer to the work.
For Davies, television has often been a way to explore real human experiences. His grief and memories of Smith became part of the emotional background of his creative life after Smith’s death.
The dedication to Smith showed that, even after his passing, he continued to hold an important place in Davies’ life.
Did Russell T Davies Remarry?
Davies and Andrew Smith were civil partners rather than legally married under the terminology used at the time of their partnership.
Following Smith’s death in 2018, Davies remained single for a period before eventually finding love again.
In recent years, he has been linked with Oliver Cole, a model.
Reports about the relationship have attracted attention because Davies had kept much of his personal life private for many years. The relationship also represents a new chapter for Davies after the devastating loss of Smith.
Who Is Russell T Davies’ Current Partner?
Russell T Davies is currently in a relationship with Oliver Cole, according to reports.
The pair reportedly connected through Instagram before their relationship developed into something more serious.
They later went public around the Christmas period and have celebrated milestones in their relationship, including their first anniversary.
Cole is a model and is considerably younger than Davies. Their relationship has naturally attracted some media attention, but Davies appears to have approached this new chapter of his personal life in his own way.
After the loss of Smith, finding a new partner does not erase the importance of his previous relationship. Instead, it shows that Davies has continued to build a life while carrying the memories of someone who was extremely important to him.
Russell T Davies’ Life After Loss
The story of Russell T Davies and Andrew Smith is ultimately one of long-term love, illness and grief.
They met in 1999 and spent almost 20 years together. They entered a civil partnership in 2012 and remained together while Davies continued his television career and Smith faced an increasingly difficult illness.
When Smith became seriously ill, Davies stepped away from writing for around two and a half years to care for him. It was a major sacrifice professionally, but it reflected the strength of their relationship.
Smith died at home in September 2018, aged 54.
Davies later continued his creative career, producing some of his most acclaimed work. His dedication of Years and Years to Smith demonstrated how deeply that relationship remained part of his life.
Today, Davies has also found companionship again through his relationship with Oliver Cole. His personal story therefore has several chapters, from the nearly two decades he shared with Smith to the new relationship he has built in the years since.
Russell T Davies’ Husband and Personal Story
For people searching for Russell T Davies husband, Andrew Smith remains the key name associated with the writer’s long-term partnership.
Smith was Davies’ partner for nearly 20 years and his civil partner from 2012 until Smith’s death in 2018. His battle with glioblastoma profoundly affected both men, and Davies’ decision to step away from writing to care for him showed the importance of their relationship.
Although Davies has since found love again with Oliver Cole, Andrew Smith remains an important part of his personal history.
Beyond the television shows, awards and headlines, Davies’ story with Smith reveals a much more private side of the writer. It is a story about choosing family over career during a difficult period, enduring loss and eventually finding a way to move forward while keeping the memory of a loved one alive.