Article dated May 1991
Crossroads stars Sue Lloyd and Ronnie Allen have married in secret, we can exclusively reveal.
But behind their joy lies tragedy - for bride Sue's husband is fighting a desperate battle to beat cancer.
The long-time sweethearts, who starred as husband and wife in the TV soap, decided to become real-life partners after Ronnie
learned he had the dread disease. Two weeks after their wedding the 56 year old actor, who played debonair motel manager
David Hunter, was given an emergency operation to remove a tumour from his lung. But the surgery failed - and now the
stricken star is having to undergo painful radiotherapy in the hope of conquering the illness.
"I broke down completely when doctors told us the operation was unsuccessful," revealed Sue. "But Ronnie was
wonderfully brave. He just said: 'Oh well, we'll just have to go on to the next stage.' "It's a terrible time
for us, but we keep going because we know that cancer is curable."
Ronnie, looking gaunt and ill, said: "I'm determined to beat this damned thing. I don't want to die, but I'm not
frightened of dying. I love life. I'm passionate about life. The feel of it. The smell of it.
I feel strongly about beauty and happiness. And Sue, of course, who is the love of my life."
Doctors discovered the tumour when Ronnie and Sue were sent for routine X-rays after they complained of persistent coughs.
"We walked into hospital hand in hand never thinking they'd find anything unpleasant," recalled Ronnie. "I remember
the day very well. It was February 13 and I was put in room number 13. Thirteen's my unlucky number, but it's
Sue's lucky one so I refused to worry. But the next week they called me back for tests and a month later they told
me I had a tumour. My first thought was for Sue. I love her so much and I knew she'd go to pieces when I told
her. She's a diabetic and I know that emotional shocks can sometimes trigger off a coma.
"We had to drive straight away to see my GP so I decided to say nothing until we got there in case she collapsed at the
wheel. When she'd parked the car I put my arm round her and said gently: 'Now I want you to hold yourself together,
darling...I've got a tumour.' But she just stared at me aghast and sobbed: 'Oh no!'"
The tragedy brought the couple closer together and after an 11 year engagement Ronnie at last decided to ask Sue to become
his wife.
"We were sitting beside each other on the sofa talking things over," Sue recalled. "Suddenly Ronnie said: 'I think
we should be married.' And I replied: 'I think we should be too.' It was as simple as that."
The couple wanted to keep the ceremony secret, even from their showbiz pals, and only two close friends witnessed their
poignant exchange of vows at London's Marylebone Register Office. But their wedding plans went anything but smoothly.
As she cuddled up to Ronnie in their beautiful Victorian house in Clapham, South London, Sue - who played Barbara Hunter in
the long-running motel saga - said:
"We were driving to Harley Street to see a doctor and as Marylebone was on the way we decided to call in at the register
office and book it up. We fixed it for the following Monday, March 25. But when we got to the doctor's he said
he wanted Ronnie to meet the top surgeon at Guy's Hospital early the following week.
"You're not doing anything on Monday are you?" he asked.
"Nothing," we chorused at once, knowing how important it was for Ronnie to meet the surgeon as soon as possible.
Then suddenly I remembered and cried: "Oh heavens, we are doing something - we're getting married!"
The doctor looked at us in amazement and Ronnie said at once: "It's ok, we'll put the wedding off till the following day."
