A U.K. radio host had some explaining to do after she mistakenly announced that Dick Van Dyke had died instead of James Van Der Beek.
“Dawson’s Creek‘s Dick Van Dyke has passed away,” said Ashley Roberts, the showbiz correspondent for Heart Radio’s Heart Breakfast show, during the live broadcast on Thursday, February 12, according to The Mirror.
Cohost Jamie Theakston quickly jumped in to correct Roberts, 44.
“Not Dick Van Dyke — come on,” Theakston, 55, told the former Pussycat Dolls member. “If you’re going to do a sensitive moment, if you’re going to do an obituary, you can’t just say Dick Van Dyke.”
Cohost Amanda Holden added, “He’s alive.”
Roberts reiterated, “Yes, [he’s alive] — he’s 100 years old!”
Van Dyke celebrated his 100th birthday on December 13, 2025.
“Unbelievably, he’s very much still alive,” Theakston added before Roberts apologized for the mix-up.
“Oh my gosh, we spoke about this, I’m so sorry,” she said, clarifying that it was actually Van Der Beek who died at age 48 on Wednesday, February 11, following a battle with colorectal cancer.
The Dawson’s Creek alum’s death was confirmed in a statement shared via social media on Wednesday.
“Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning. He met his final days with courage, faith and grace,” the statement read. “There is much to share regarding his wishes, love for humanity and the sacredness of time. Those days will come. For now, we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother and friend.”
The Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed to Us Weekly that Van Der Beek was pronounced dead at 6:44 a.m. on Wednesday. A medical professional made the call to their office.
Van Der Beek announced in November 2024 that he had been battling stage 3 colorectal cancer for more than a year.
“I’ve been privately dealing with this diagnosis and have been taking steps to resolve it, with the support of my incredible family,” he told People at the time, revealing that he received the diagnosis in 2023 following a colonoscopy to address his symptoms. “There’s reason for optimism, and I’m feeling good.”
Van Der Beek became an advocate for colorectal cancer awareness and frequently shared updates on his condition.
In his final interview before his death, Van Der Beek said his cancer diagnosis was the “best thing” to happen to him.
“As soon as I heard the news [about my colorectal cancer diagnosis], I went into shock,” he told Today’s Craig Melvin in December 2025. “One of the things I was really lucky about was, as soon as I heard the news, I thought, ‘This is going to be the best thing that ever happened to me.”
Van Der Beek added that a voice in his head helped him process the news.
“[The voice said], ‘You’re gonna make changes in your life that you would never, ever make if you didn’t have this extreme of a diagnosis and it’s going to add healthy, happy years to your life,’” he recalled.
