Blankety Blank pays tribute to contestant who died months before his episode aired

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Blankety Blank fans have expressed their sadness after discovering that a contestant who won the show died shortly before his episode was broadcast.

First airing in 1979, the comedy game show sees contestants trying to match answers given by celebrity panellists to fill-in-the-blank questions.

It was revived in 2021, with the current version being hosted by Bradley Walsh.

On the latest episode of the show, the famous panellists were Jack Dee, Rob Beckett, Lucy Beaumont, Steph McGovern, Kelly Holmes and Omid Djalili.

One of the contestants was Nathanael Hill from Kirkby, who eventually took out the win.

However, at the conclusion, viewers were shocked to learn he had since died.

BBC videograb. Blankety Blank 14th June 2025. Contestant Nathanael Hill — Nathanael Hill won the BBC game show (Picture: BBC)

In the credits, a tribute popped up that revealed he’d died a few months ago.

Showing a photo of him riding a horse, the caption read: ‘Nathanael Hill 1985 – 2025.’

Soon after those tuning in shared their own tributes online.

‘Who knew you could get sad at the end of an episode of Blankety Blank? RIP Nathanael,’ Andie shared on X.

‘Well, I wasn’t expecting that. Poor Nathanael. RIP,’ Paul shared.

‘RIP Nathanael 😢 Fly high,’ Di added.

A report from the Liverpool Echo explained that Hill died aged 39 in April this year.

A former officer in the air force, Hill had completed six tours of Iraq, four tours of Afghanistan and worked on Operation Red Flag.

However, while in south-central Asia, he was injured by shrapnel from a roadside bomb and was then medically discharged.

Four years later he was diagnosed with late-onset type 1 diabetes.

During the pandemic doctors discovered a blood clot in his leg, with Hill then battling three bouts of sepsis before having an above-knee amputation in October 2022.

After that Hill, a doting dad, began coaching and got back into triathlons and had aspirations to represent Team GB at the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics.

Collect photo: Nathanael Hill — Hill had been working towards representing Team GB at the 2028 LA Paralympics

‘If I get to represent Team GB it would just be a full circle. It would be a swan song for me,’ he told the publication.

‘My last engagement for the Air Force was opening the London 2012 Olympics games and the 2023 Olympics is going to be in LA, America, where I was recognised for saving two American officers’ lives.

‘Now, I can be seen as overcoming this next challenge and to be competing in their country.’

His cause of death has not been revealed.

Blankety Blank is streaming on BBC iPlayer.

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