Sunday Mirror

I sometimes have a good scream at the universe over the death of my parents Loose Woman Kaye on her grief

- BY JANE ODDY

LOOSE Women host Kaye Adams today opens her heart about losing her parents and says she lets her emotion out by screaming with rage.

The star – a cheery presence on the ITV show – was plunged into grief when mum Cathie, 83, died in July 2018, just a year after dad Duncan, 85, passed away.

Kaye, 56, says: “I cry and I rage. I take myself into a quiet space, scream and have a bit of a shout at the universe.

“I do. Everyone needs an outlet. Some people go for a run, others use a punchbag, some people cry. I find shouting therapeuti­c, particular­ly when in the eye of the storm.

“I don’t do it as much now – and never when my children are around. I wouldn’t subject them to that.”

Kaye admits she only recently began to enjoy moments of happiness again, saying: “I am only now giving myself permission to be happy again.”

Her dad had dementia and it was three months after his death that mum Cathie had the first of two strokes.

Kaye says she was “phenomenal­ly close” to her mum and was with her when she passed away. She goes on: “My heart was broken and it was simply a matter of putting one foot in front of the other.

“Some days you feel bad, others you feel fine. Family and friends can be lovely and supportive but ultimately, you have to go through certain things in life alone. This is one of them.

“I’ve been down... the last few years have been really tough.

COMFORT

“Being depressed because your parents have been ill and you’ve lost them both in such a short space of time is entirely normal. I’ve had to work through it.”

Kaye, mum to daughters Charley, 17, and Bonnie, 12, says her partner of over 25 years, tennis coach Ian Campbell, 57, was a huge comfort. She adds: “He’s there for me and by my side. The kids have been great too.”

And her Loose Women, friends, particular­ly best pal Nadia Sawalha, were a rock. Kaye reveals: “Nadia is amazing in these situations. She came up to my house (in Glasgow) and started cooking, which is lovely on a host of levels.

“The Loose Women girls were fantastic, too. The show has given us real friendship, which is a great gift.”

Kaye was with Nadia in June 2017 when – on the day that they signed a

Kay with Ian, their daughters and her parents and with co-star and best pal Nadia, right deal for their cookbook, Disaster Chef – news came that her mother had suffered the first stroke.

Kaye recalls: “I was at Nadia’s house, full of the joys, and she had just handed me a glass of champagne when I got the phone call from a neighbour of Mum.”

A staunch supporter of the Stroke Associatio­n, she adds: “In spirit, she was still strong. Always. She was a fighter.

“It was so distressin­g to see her lose her powers in one fell swoop but we shared a lot of special moments after her stroke which I cherish.

“She was determined to walk again. But then she had her second stroke last July. I was with her when she passed away three weeks later.

“Mum was fearless, strong and energetic, incredibly loving and supportive.”

And of gradually moving on with her life, Kaye says: “At first I almost felt guilty to be happy. But to laugh with my girlfriend­s, to do some childish, stupid things after having the burden of responsibi­lity for so long? It’s refreshing. And I’m sure Mum would have wanted that for me.”

KAYE ADAMS ON PAIN OF LOSING MUM LAST YEAR

For support, go to stroke.org.uk/livedexper­ience-of-stroke-report

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MY ROCKS
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TV ANCHOR Kaye as host of hit show Loose Women

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