Who was Gemma McCluskie and how did the Eastenders actress die?
EASTENDERS star Gemma McCluskie was brutally murdered by her brother when she was just 29 years old.
The sickening story is examined in the new ITV true crime documentary Murder in the Family: True Crime Presents.
Gemma McCluskie pictured with her brother Tony, who murdered her
Gemma was killed in 2012 during a row over an overflowing bathtubRex Features
Who was Gemma McCluskie?
Gemma McCluskie was born in Shoreditch, London, on February 5, 1983.
She was best known for her role as Kerry Skinner in BBC soap EastEnders between 2000 and 2001.
Gemma also appeared in the children’s series No Sweat (1997).
Her life was tragically cut short when she was murdered by her sibling, Tony McCluskie, in March 2012.
READ MORE ON GEMMA MCCLUSKIE
PALS' TORMENT
Friends of two EastEnders stars brutally murdered by men they loved speak out
LAP IT UP
Man City boost as Aymeric Laporte returns to training for first time since August
What happened to Gemma McCluskie?
Gemma McCluskie was murdered by her older brother Tony, then 35, in the flat they shared in Shoreditch, East London, during a row over an overflowing bath.
The skunk addict, who smoked 15 joints a day, hit her over the head at least twice before dismembering her body and dumping it in the canal.
Her death was initially treated as a missing person’s enquiry – after Gemma’s killer reported her missing.
Five days after she went missing, a member of the public sailing a barge discovered Gemma’s torso stuffed in a suitcase in Regent’s Canal.
MOST READ IN NEWS
BLOCKHEADS
'Awful' tourist attraction is blocking our windows...but council doesn't care
BLAZE FURY
'Apocalyptic' fires destroyed our town a year ago - we're STILL in caravans
HIGH ALERT
Emergency alert test could take place every two YEARS despite glitches
CAVED IN
Inside life of 'Professor of Adventure' who turned a cave into his tiny home
Tony McCluskie was arrested on suspicion of murder and a search of their flat found drops of blood in the bathroom and kitchen – as well as a missing knife.
CCTV footage from the day Gemma went missing showed Tony dragging a heavy suitcase into a taxi.
When was the EastEnders actress murdered?
Gemma was murdered on March 1, 2012.
She was 29 years old at the time of her death.
The brutal slaying came around 12 years after she first appeared in EastEnders as Robbie’s two-timing girlfriend Kerrie Skinner.
Gemma’s brother Tony was jailed for life in 2013 after being found guilty of murderRex Features
Where is Gemma’s brother Tony now?
Gemma’s brother Tony finally admitted to killing his sister during a 2013 trial at the Old Bailey.
But he insisted he couldn’t remember doing it, and that she’d attacked him first.
Despite admitting manslaughter he was found guilty of murder by jurors with an 11 to 1 majority.
The window cleaner was jailed for life and ordered to serve a minimum of 20 years.
Murder in the Family: True Crime Presents
An episode of Murder in the Family: True Crime Presents focuses on the case of the killing of Gemma by her brother.
The show investigates the circumstances surrounding her death and explores the family dynamics and events leading to the crime.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
TOTAL RECALL
Boots urgently pulls paracetamol tablets and warns shoppers ‘do NOT take’
RIDE OFF
Huge UK theme park with iconic roller coaster suddenly shuts after 38 years
The show airs Friday, March 7, 2025, at 9pm on ITV1.
It is also available live or stream at a later date via ITVX, which also hosts previous episodes of the series.
Welcome to Billionaire Club Co LLC, your gateway to a brand-new social media experience! Sign up today and dive into over 10,000 fresh daily articles and videos curated just for your enjoyment. Enjoy the ad free experience, unlimited content interactions, and get that coveted blue check verification—all for just $1 a month!
Account Frozen
Your account is frozen. You can still view content but cannot interact with it.
Please go to your settings to update your account status.
Open Profile Settings