TV favourite Declan Donnelly will bid an emotional final goodbye to his beloved brother before flying off to film I’m a Celebrity.
The funeral of Father Dermott Donnelly, who died aged 55, will be held on Friday in Newcastle.
Dec’s TV partner and best pal Ant McPartlin plus dozens of relatives from his parents’ native Ireland are expected to attend the ceremony.
They will be joined by priests and clerics from across the North East, where Fr Dermott served for 30 years in the Catholic church.
Dec, 46, told of his heartbreak when his brother died earlier this month, saying: “We are beyond devastated.”
Ant and Dec are due to travel to South Africa to film a special edition of reality show I’m a Celebrity featuring ex-contestants.
The usual run of the ITV series is due to be filmed in the Australian jungle later this year.
Father Dermott was admitted to hospital after a serious illness. His body will be received into St Michael’s, Newcastle, on Thursday.
Requiem Mass will be celebrated at St Mary’s Cathedral.The Donnelly family said in a statement: “Due to limited space, we would encourage those who wish to participate in the Requiem Mass on Friday 29 July to gather at St Michael’s church.
“The Mass will be live-streamed and Holy Communion will be made available. Following the Requiem Mass, Fr Dermott’s cortege will pass St Michael’s for those who wish to pay their respects.”
Fr Dermott had worked with the Catholic church’s official aid agency, the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development, and with a number of youth projects in the UK.
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He was a priest at St Joseph’s Church in Stanley, Co Durham, and had recently celebrated three decades of service to his parish.
Monica Conmee, CAFOD’s head of education, said the charity was “hugely saddened”.
She added: “Fr Dermott chose to stand in the light and generously guided thousands of young people to experience the love of God.”
Dermott Donnelly was raised on Newcastle’s Cruddas Park estate with siblings Dec, Martin, Eamonn, Camelia, Patricia and Moira.
In 2015 he officiated at Dec’s wedding to Ali Astall in Newcastle.
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