Dec’s grief over sudden death of his priest brother at 55
PRESENTER Declan Donnelly has said he is ‘beyond devastated’ after the sudden death of his Catholic priest brother.
Father Dermott Donnelly died yesterday afternoon at the age of 55.
Donnelly rushed to be by his brother’s side when he was taken to hospital after he collapsed in his Newcastle parish.
The ITV star, 46, wrote on Twitter last night: ‘I am heartbroken to tell you that my darling brother Fr Dermott sadly passed away this afternoon.
‘We are all beyond devastated. Thank you for your messages of sympathy and support, they are appreciated.’
Father Dermott was said to have been ‘extremely unwell’ after he collapsed, with his parishioners urged to pray for him on Thursday evening.
Father Dermott, who is understood to have been a priest for 30 years, officiated the star-studded wedding of his famous brother to Ali Astall in Newcastle in 2015.
He regularly visited Donnelly’s shows while the presenter travelled to Newcastle to attend Mass and visit the youth projects set up by the priest.