Charlene White has emotionally opened up about her late friend Darrell on Loose Women, revealing that she bravely continued with a tribute to him on the show despite deviating from the planned schedule.
Charlene’s dear friend Darrell tragically died last week after battling Sarcoma cancer – a rare type of tumour that develops in bone and connective tissue.
While on Loose Women, Charlene disclosed that even though she could hear a producer in her earpiece saying that she wasn’t following the running order, she was determined to send a message to Darrell’s wife before the commercial break.
“I know the director is going to go in my ear, ‘This isn’t what we planned, Charlene,’ but I don’t really care,” Charlene stated.
“What I am going to end on now, and I know Darrell’s wife is watching, I love you lots; I know that we’ll get through this together as a family, as friends, as everything because sometimes friend loss can feel like family.”
She then revealed that as they transitioned into the break, the show would air Darrell’s speech when he received the Inspiration Award at Sarcoma UK’s Shining Star Awards. “He gave an incredible speech where he talked about what is important in the world,” Charlene shared. “Going into the break, have a listen to him now,” reports the Mirror.
Earlier in the programme, Charlene candidly spoke about losing Darrell – who was diagnosed with Sarcoma on his 40th birthday. “He popped round to my house for his birthday lunch and he told me all about it,” she recalled.
“He fought through it for four and a half years, I’m incredibly proud of him.”
Last week, Charlene took to social media to share her heartache over losing her dear friend. She posted: “There will be many of you who will aware of me talking about one of my oldest and best friends Darrell @djoptic and his mission to beat the enemy which is Sarcoma cancer,” adding, “In the early hours of Saturday morning, four and a half years after he was diagnosed, after a week of saying goodbyes to those he loved, sharing stories and banter, he took his final breath surrounded by his wonderful wife @mrsamymcdonald and children Maya and Theo.”
The TV star continued: “He has been my brother since we met at 16 years old, I was the best man at his wedding, and god-mother to his eldest. The nonsense our little crew would get up to was hilarious back in the day, he was there for every milestone. My heart is broken into a million pieces.”
Loose Women airs weekdays at 12.30pm on ITV.