Aretha Franklin's ex-husband recalls 'wonderful' final moment with 'funny' Queen of Soul

Aretha Franklin’s ex-husband has said the late Queen of Soul was “so strong” in the final days of her battle with pancreatic cancer as he "held onto hope" of her recovery.

Glynn Turman, who was married to Franklin from 1978 to 1984, flew to Detroit to visit her before her death on Thursday morning.

Turman, who was there with Stevie Wonder, said they were “both in a mood of trying to hold onto the hope that everything would be alright” during the flight.

Speaking on Good Morning Britain, Turman said Franklin woke up on his arrival, a moment he described as “wonderful”.

He told Ranvir Singh: “They shook her when I entered the room and said ‘Aretha, Glenn is here’ and she woke up, opened her eyes and made contact. It was a wonderful thing to see.

“I could tell by the look in her eye, she knew it was me.”

He continued: “I was holding her hand at her bedside, holding her wrist. Her pulse was so strong and full of life. Her breathing was such a defiance of what was attacking her.”

Turman also spoke about Franklin’s love for telling jokes, and revealed some were inappropriate for breakfast TV.

“She was always cracking jokes,” he said. “She had a repertoire of jokes that she would try out on you […] I can’t say what they are. But she could make a situation funny, that you wouldn’t think was funny necessarily when you first started with the situation. But her take on it would crack you up.”

Franklin died surrounded by family at her home in Detroit on Thursday, days after it was reported her death was “imminent”.

Tributes echoed around the world with former Presidents, musicians and TV stars paying their respects online.

Barack Obama, who Franklin performed for at his inauguration in 2009, paid tribute on Twitter, praising her for helping to “define the American experience”.

Sir Elton John described her death as a “blow to everybody who loves real music,” while Mariah Carey thanked her as “my inspiration, my mentor and my friend”.

Diana Ross said she was “sitting in prayer for the wonderful golden spirit Aretha Franklin”, while Adele said she had been left “absolutely heartbroken”.