Loose Women's Gloria Hunniford returns to show after husband’s death and addresses her own health woes
Gloria Hunniford returned to Loose Women today, following the sad death of her husband of more than 20 years, Stephen Way. Stephen passed away in August at the age of 85, and opening up today about how she is coping, Gloria, 84, said she was "determined not to cry".
The star heartbreakingly said that she didn't know what life would be like "going forward" following Stephen's death, while she also opened up on her weight loss, following her husband’s illness and death. Gloria told her co-stars, Charlene White, Olivia Attwood and Denise Welch: "It's a heartbreaking situation to lose your partner. One minute you know what your life is, and then next minute you think what is this life is going forward.
"I want to thank all of you at home and everybody at Loose Women, because the messages were just fabulous. I can't tell you what they mean in the end.
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"It obviously changed my life. It's amazing how sometimes your children become the parents because they take worry about you. But the letters and the cards and messages have really sunk into my soul."
Becoming emotional, Gloria said: "I'm determined not to cry today, I'm trying not to cry."
Charlene then asked Gloria about how the grief had affected her, saying: “Obviously grief presents itself in different ways and I it can do so physically as well. Before anyone starts, you know, worrying that you're unwell and that you're smaller than you were when you were here last time, can you clear that up?"
Gloria then explained: "The thing is obviously when your partner is ill, the anxiety and worry and of all that - of course I've lost weight because you don't eat properly and you're always thinking about the other person.”
She then reassured viewers saying: “But I am fine, thank you. My two sons, Paul and Michael, when they come to visit thy watch what I eat, they go, "You haven't finished your chicken!"'
One viewer wrote on X: “Sending big hugs and love to Gloria xx”, while another added: “Welcome back Gloria . Sending you a big hug.Stephen would be proud of you.xx”
Back in August, Stephen's family released a statement announcing his death. It read: "It is with huge sadness and very heavy hearts that we share the passing of Stephen Way, Gloria's beloved husband, who lost his battle yesterday afternoon. Stephen had been heroically fighting his illness... but always with great tenacity and a positive spirit."
Gloria said in her own tribute: "Stephen was a gentleman and a giant of a man, who will leave the most enormous void not only in my life, but our entire family. He was an incredibly kind, generous, and caring man, with a delightfully quirky sense of humour, which remained till the end. We had a tremendously happy 25-year marriage and did so many beautiful and exciting things together that I will always cherish."
