Yahoo News BBC Countryfile star 'in tears' as he opens up on wife's cancer diagnosis
A BBC Countryfile presenter has opened up about the emotional turmoil he faced after his wife's cancer diagnosis, revealing that it brought them to tears and led to a poignant wedding ceremony. Adam Henson, a familiar face on BBC's Countryfile, was left reeling when tests in 2021 revealed that his partner of 28 years, Charlie Gilbert, had a significant tumour on her pancreas.
The tumour, measuring four-and-a-half centimetres, was found in a challenging location. Reflecting on their relationship and the sudden urgency to solidify their commitment, Charlie said: "After 28 years together you do get a bit complacent, but getting married was suddenly really important - we didn't know how long we had left, and I wanted Adam to know I was committed to him."
Following Charlie's heartfelt proposal, the couple exchanged vows. Speaking of the occasion, 58-year-old Adam said: "We cried a lot. Those vows cemented my emotions and let me say from the heart how I feel about Charlie. The registrar wasn't aware of our situation and said she'd never had such an emotional couple. For us, it was a way of saying goodbye to everyone."
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Adam shared further details of the day, and said: "There were a lot of tears and a lot of emotion in the room. Charlie wore an ivory dress and looked stunning when she walked in with her mum. We were both crying through the vows, and the next very emotional time for me was giving a speech at the reception."
Charlie said: "It was a horrible position to put everyone in because you're trying to be happy, but I was going into hospital the next day and didn't know if I'd be coming out. It was the best possible last day I could have had."
The surgery took place the day following the wedding, reports Birmingham Live. Charlie spent three days in intensive care and another week recovering in her private room before finally being allowed home to begin her long convalescence. Opening up two years after their agonising ordeal, the couple revealed that Charlie was back to work on a part-time basis while living from one six-monthly scan to the next. Adam reflected: "Friends and family are even more important to us now - they've been so supportive. In the past, I'd push the children to be more career-focused and get ahead. But now I'm kind of 'Just have a lovely time, look after yourselves but have a lovely time doing it, because you just don't know what's around the corner'."
