Family’s farewell to Dame Deborah
HER battle against cancer won the hearts of the nation, raising £7million for charity before her untimely death last month.
Yesterday family and friends honoured Dame Deborah James and her achievements as they gathered for her funeral.
Lorraine Kelly, Gaby Roslin and BBC newsreader Sophie Raworth were among those paying tribute at St Mary’s Church in Barnes, south-west London.
Family led by Dame Deborah’s husband, Sebastien Bowen, and their children walked behind as her wicker coffin arrived in a vintage Rolls-Royce hearse.
The service saw Mr Bowen deliver a eulogy, and son Hugo,
14, and 12-year- old daughter Eloise read poems.
Family friend and classically trained jazz singer Natalie Rushdie, who is married to novelist Salman Rushdie’s son Zafar,
sang Tell Me It’s Not True from the musical Blood Brothers.
The You, Me And The Big C podcast presenter – known as Bowel Babe – died, aged 40, on June 28, just weeks after revealing that she was receiving endof-life care for bowel cancer.
Shortly before the former teacher’s death, she was presented with a damehood by Prince William who visited the family.
Donations to her Bowelbabe fund, set up to raise awareness and fund clinical trials, now stands at nearly £7.5million.