Yahoo News Jill Halfpenny close to tears in heartbreaking Lorraine interview as she relives ex's sudden death
Jill Halfpenny appeared close to tears as she delivered an emotional interview on Lorraine on Thursday and opened up on the sudden death of her former partner Matt Janes.
Geordie star Jill has been on numerous TV shows in the last few weeks to promote her new book A Life Reimagined, in which she talks about her ability to finally cope with her grief, after she lost both Matt and her dad. Jill has talked candidly about her grief on shows like The One Show and This Morning since the book has been released, as well as speaking to fans with similar struggles at pop up events, like the one held at The Biscuit Factory on the outskirts of Newcastle last month.
On Thursday, it was time for ex Byker Grove and Coronation Street actress Jill to sit down with ITV presenting legend Lorraine, who was quick to tell her guest she'd been really moved by the book, saying: "I read it all in and it is absolutely extraordinary. It’s obviously your story and you were honest about it but it is also just filled with really good advice. Going back you were just a baby when your dad died."
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Talking about losing her dad at such a young age, Jill replied: "Yes I was four. It was in 1979 and we were in the North West of England and my mum was left with three girls to bring up on her own. We just got on with it.
“It was kind of thought of back then that if we don’t mention it then it will be easier and if we don’t bring it up it won’t upset people but it’s different now, we talk about things."
Reliving what what happened on the tragic day that Matt died as she fought b ack years, Jill told Lorraine; "He left the house to go to an exercise class and never came home. This is the thing that I learned from losing my dad, I could not side-step grief and I could not go around it, I had to go through with it because I didn’t want to repeat what I went through with my dad and I have to feel things."
The former Strictly winner then added: "Grief is so overwhelming and so powerful and it really is a scary feeling but I just kept telling myself that it is ok and it’s ok to feel all the feelings. I was very open with my son and I said to him that there are going to be days where I struggle but I promise you that I will be ok."
