Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Loose Women panel break down in tears after hearing heartbreaking news

‘My heart is broken into a million pieces’ said the host

Maira Butt
Wednesday 05 February 2025 19:40 GMT
Comments
Loose Women panel break down in tears during discussion on grief

The Loose Women panel were left in tears on Monday (3 February) after presenter Charlene White shared heartbreaking news with the hosts.

The 44-year-old presenter said she had been left devastated after losing her “brother” Darrel White to sarcoma cancer.

Reflecting on their relationship, she told the hosts: “He has been my brother since we met at 16 years old, I was the best man at his wedding, and god-mother to his eldest.

“The nonsense our little crew would get up to was hilarious back in the day, he was there for every milestone. My heart is broken into a million pieces.”

She praised her friend and his wife for openly discussing death with their children, and encouraged others to be more open about grief.

"I sort of wanted to concentrate on where children are concerned, having seen the way as a community, sometimes in the Caribbean community, we tend to decide we're not talking about death, we're not talking about grief especially with children and pretend it's not happening,” she said.

"But in the way in with Darrel and his wife Amy have spoken and communicated grief and death throughout their dad's diagnosis has been beautiful and very different to how my parents navigated it with me."

White choked back tears as she said: "I'm trying really hard to get the words out today... with how they navigated it with us.

Loose Women panelists broke down in tears
Loose Women panelists broke down in tears (Getty)

"I'm not saying that was in a wrong way at all, because you deal with grief with children with the tools that you have.

Apple TV+ logo

Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day

New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled.

Try for free

ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

Apple TV+ logo

Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day

New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled.

Try for free

ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

"What Darrel did with his children and what I've done with mine, is be very honest about it because that's how we can give our kids the tools that they need to deal with grief whenever they come across it. As a family they've always spoken very openly."

She shared pictures of her friend as the other panelists shared their personal experiences with grief. Kelly Brook broke down in tears as she shared her experience of losing her father, while Judi Love became emotional speaking about her late mother who died of dementia in 2009.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in