Lorraine Kelly has been leading tributes to the amazing late Deborah James on her ITV breakfast show, alongside a slew of guests paying tribute to the star.
The mum-of-two, who launched Bowel Babe to raise money for Cancer Research UK, was diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer just before Christmas 2016, aged 35. Dame Deborah died surrounded by her family on Tuesday, weeks after she confirmed she had stopped active treatment and was receiving end of life care at her parents’ home in Woking.
As Lorraine played a pre-recorded obituary to Dame Deborah, the show returned to the studio where the emotional host simply said “love her”. Paying tribute to the late star, she was joined by guests Steve Bland, a friend of Deborah’s, and a Lorraine producer, who worked alongside Deborah on the No Butts campaign.
Lorraine soon became choked up introducing the guests, telling viewers: “Sorry. Just seeing that. We knew this was going to happen, but it still doesn’t feel quite real.” Her voice wavered as she went on: "Great to see both of you. Steve, how are you? We knew this was going to happen, but it still doesn't seem quite real?"
Steve replied: "No, it doesn't. Last night was very odd. Very surreal. Very numb, and I was awake at the crack of dawn this morning and it just hit me. This moment, like you say, we've known for five years it was coming. It's been five and a half years since she was diagnosed.
"I think that's what makes what she's done in those past five and a half years, what she's packed in, and the people that she's helped, and the lives that she's saved all the more remarkable."
Later on in the interview, Steve joked that Deborah's inspiring energy came from the steroids she was on, which left Lorraine in giggles. In a voiceover tribute, Lorraine said: “Deborah was determined to stay positive and help others living with the disease.
“She shared her experience with bravery and honesty from her hospital bed and her home, documenting the highs and lows online as Bowel Babe, while also writing about her cancer with humour and candour.
“She did the hugely popular podcast You, Me and the Big C about living with cancer alongside her close friends also touched by the disease. She got bums on seats to talk about cancer and break the poo taboo with our No Butts campaign.”
Lorraine wasn't the only ITV host paying tribute to Deborah's amazing life today, Susanna Reid discussed her tragic passing on Good Morning Britain beforehand. She said: “Even if you’d never met her, I think everyone felt like they knew Dame Deborah James, who has sadly passed away way too early at the age of 40. A five-year battle, of course, with cancer.
“She was an absolutely remarkable woman, who fought right to the end to raise awareness of the condition. Our hearts go out to her children… and her husband Sebastien, and her parents,” Susanna continued.
ITV’s GP Dr Hilary Jones said Dame Deborah had a “zest for life” as he paid tribute to Deborah, who raised almost £7million in the final weeks of her life.
He said: “She was determined not to let this cancer destroy her. She was always putting other people before herself, family first, but also she wanted to campaign to raise awareness of the symptoms to make it clear to people that this wasn’t just a disease for older people.”
He added: "She's removed the stigma from talking about bottoms, and butts and poo."
BBC Radio 1 DJ Adele Roberts, who recently revealed she received the all clear from her Stage 2 bowel cancer, took to Instagram to say Deborah was “the best of us.”
She said: “My heart hurts. Thank you for everything Deborah. Thank you for being so strong for so long and helping others when you were in so much pain yourself. You are the best of us. Thinking of your family and friends and I am forever grateful to you for helping me and my family. Rebellious hope forever.”
You can donate to Dame Deborah James BowelBabe fundraiser - here.
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