Sky Sports presenter Simon Thomas shares family photo after wife’s sudden death

Mr Thomas said he was 'suffocating with grief' since his wife Gemma died suddenly of leukaemia

Mr Thomas posted the image on Instagram of himself, his wife Gemma and their son Ethan, 8 (Simon Thomas/Instagram)

Sky Sports presenter Simon Thomas has posted a photo on social media of himself and his wife Gemma – saying he is “suffocating with grief” since she died suddenly of leukaemia last week.

Thomas published the image on Instagram which shows both him and Ms Thomas each holding a hand of their eight-year-old son Ethan watching a sunset.

The TV journalist wrote a caption beside the photo summing up how he felt since she passed away just three days after she was diagnosed with the rare blood cancer.

“Team Thomas. Three has become two. Heartbroken and suffocating with grief,” it read.

Thomas, who presents the Premier League coverage on Sky Sports, said his wife Gemma had visited her GP three times after feeling unwell – and he told her to take some pills and rest.

But when her symptoms continued she went to the hospital, where she was diagnosed with acute myloid leukaemia, an aggressive form of blood cancer.

Ms Thomas began chemotherapy on Tuesday and initially responded well – but on Friday morning her health took a turn and she was told she had only hours to live.

She died later than night surrounded by her friends and family.

Thomas’s more than 4,000 followers on Instagram offered messages of sympathy for his grief.

Samwisedj wrote: “Sending what breath we can to you and Ethan through distant prayers and hearts full of love and grief.”

Torichasingtarget said: “I am so sorry for you and your son’s loss. Thoughts are with you all”, while annemchlsn replied: “Sending you two lots of courage, strength and believe in life!”

Thomas, 44, who formerly worked as a Blue Peter presenter, had announced his wife’s death on Twitter, saying he was “crushed with indescribable pain”.

He requested that people pray for the couple’s eight-year-old son, Ethan, who he said was “precious and in bits”.

Thomas said he did not blame doctors for his wife’s death, but urged others who felt unwell to push for a diagnosis if they thought they were not getting the best care.