Dieter Brummer dead: Home and Away star known for playing Shane Parrish dies aged 45
Home and Away star Dieter Brummer dead at 45: Actor known for playing Shane Parrish on long-running Australian soap dies after quitting showbusiness to become a window cleaner
- Brummer, who turned 45 in May, was found dead after a police welfare check
- He played heartthrob Shane Parrish on Home and Away from 1992 to 1996
- His other acting credits included Underbelly, Medivac and Neighbours
- His death is not being treated as suspicious
- If you are struggling, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Samaritans (UK) on 116 123
Australian actor Dieter Brummer, best known for playing Shane Parrish on Home and Away in the 1990s, has died at the age of 45.
The two-time Logie winner was found dead at a home in Glenhaven, in Sydney’s north-west, on Saturday afternoon, NSW Police confirmed to Daily Mail Australia.
His death is not being treated as suspicious.
‘About 1.30pm (Saturday 24 July 2021), officers from The Hills Police Area Command responded to reports of a concern for welfare at a home on Glenhaven Road, Glenhaven,’ a police spokesperson said.
‘The body of a man was located inside the home. His death is not believed to be suspicious. A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.’
Brummer starred on Home and Away from 1992 to 1996, and later had roles in hospital drama Medivac and crime series Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities.
RIP: Australian actor Dieter Brummer, best known for playing Shane Parrish on Home and Away in the 1990s, has died at the age of 45. He was found dead at a home in Glenhaven, in Sydney’s north-west, on Saturday. Police are not treating his death as suspicious. Pictured here in 1995
His other credits included Winners & Losers, Neighbours, Underbelly: The Golden Mile and short-lived soap Crash Palace.
Following the news of his passing, Brummer’s family released a statement saying their world would ‘never be the same’.
‘On behalf of my family, We post this today with a heavy heart,’ the Facebook post began. ‘We lost our handsome, talented, funny, complicated and beloved Dieter on Saturday morning.
‘He has left a massive hole in our lives and our world will never be the same. Our thoughts go out to all of you who knew him, loved him, or worked with him over the years.
‘We appreciate you respecting our privacy at this terrible time.’
Feud: Brummer was involved in a Home and Away storyline with co-star Melissa George (right), who played his on-screen wife Angel Brooks. He said in 2012 they hated each other off screen
According to a report by The Daily Telegraph in November, Brummer started up a window washing business after turning his back on acting.
‘People say that I’m just a window cleaner, in reality it’s substantially more involved than that. Working at heights it’s a relatively specialist trade,’ he told TV Tonight in April 2010.
Brummer said he was able to employ his rock climbing skills in his new profession, and was appreciative of the ‘life experience’ it had given him.
‘I just wanted to get a bit of real life experience under my belt, but I’d always intended on coming back to the acting game at some point,’ he added.
Career: Brummer, who also worked as a window cleaner, starred on Home and Away from 1992 to 1996 and later had roles in hospital drama Medivac and crime series Underbelly
Success: Brummer won two Logie Awards for his acting on the soap, winning Most Popular Actor in the years 1995 and 1996. Pictured at the ceremony in 2010
Brummer, who turned 45 in May, was notably involved in a Home and Away storyline with co-star Melissa George, who played his on-screen wife Angel Brooks.
While their characters looked like the perfect couple on the show, their relationship behind the scenes was strained.
‘There was a lot of pressure on us. We had to look like the perfect, darling couple in public,’ Brummer said in 2018.
‘It wasn’t like anything off screen. It was all on screen.’
Brummer had previously said in 2012 he hated working with George, 44, and even asked producers to kill off his character so he could escape her diva demands.
He told Woman’s Day: ‘We may have been love interests on the show but the chemistry was far from real!’
After leaving Home and Away, George went on to find Hollywood success in films like The Amityville Horror and TV shows Grey’s Anatomy and The Good Wife.
Résumé: Brummer’s other acting credits included Winners & Losers, Neighbours, Underbelly: The Golden Mile and short-lived soap Crash Palace. Pictured here in 2010
Soap career: Brummer’s character was written off Home and Away when Shane died from septicaemia (blood poisoning) in 1996. Pictured with co-star Melissa George
Brummer’s character was written off Home and Away when Shane died from septicaemia (blood poisoning) in 1996.
He won two Logie Awards for his acting on the soap, winning Most Popular Actor in the years 1995 and 1996.
In a statement released on Monday, a spokesperson for Channel Seven said: ‘Home and Away and Channel Seven are deeply saddened to hear of Dieter Brummer’s passing.
‘Dieter was a much-loved Home and Away cast member and celebrated by Australian and international audiences for his award-winning portrayal of Shane Parrish.
‘We send our sincere condolences to Dieter’s family and friends during this very difficult time.’
Statement: ‘Dieter was a much-loved Home and Away cast member and celebrated by Australian and international audiences for his award-winning portrayal of Shane Parrish,’ Channel Seven said upon hearing the news
Devastated: Fellow Home and Away star Steve Comey shared an image of Brummer alongside the caption: ‘Heartbreaking news. We have lost a free spirit. Vale Dieter Brummer. Way too young. Way too soon’
Shock: Many took to social media to share tribute posts for the actor, including his Underbelly co-star Steve Bastoni
Many took to social media to share their condolences, with reporter Peter Ford writing: ‘Very sad to hear of the death of former TV heart-throb and Logie winner Dieter Brummer at 45 years old.
‘Home and Away was a massive hit for him in the 90s. There were other credits too but when you hit such dizzying heights at a very young age life and career after can be problematic.’
Fellow Home and Away star and family friend Steve Comey wrote: ‘Heartbreaking news. We have lost a free spirit. Vale Dieter Brummer. Way too young. Way too soon.
‘My sincerest, deepest condolences to his beautiful sister Karlene and all of Dieters family & friends. Keep flying young fella.’
Actor Steve Bastoni added: ‘I met Dieter Brummer on Underbelly, he seemed like a decent fellow. Very sad news.’
ITV reporter Pip Tomson added: ‘Just 45. My god this is awful. Dieter Brummer. Thank you for the memories.’
New career: Sydney’s Daily Telegraph reported in November last year that Brummer (right) was running his own window-cleaning business after retiring from acting. Pictured in 2011
Glory days: Brummer is pictured with actress Sigrid Thornton after Underbelly: The Golden Mile won the Silver Logie for Most Outstanding Drama Series at the 2011 Logie Awards
