Presenter Simon Thomas talks about ‘feeling like a family again’

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Widowed presenter Simon Thomas reveals his son Ethan, 10, feels like he has a ‘family again’ thanks to forming a ‘seamless bond’ with his dad’s new girlfriend

  • Sky Sports anchor Thomas, 47, lost his wife Gemma in 2017 to a form of cancer
  • Presenter talked before about how hard the ordeal had been for son Ethan, ten 
  • But has now revealed Ethan felt had ‘a family again’ thanks to Simon’s new love 
  • Simon has been dating legal professional Derrina Jebb and praised bond with Ethan

By Claire Toureille For Mailonline

Published: | Updated:

Widowed Simon Thomas has revealed his young son now ‘feels like he has a family’ thanks to the TV presenter’s new girlfriend.

Former Sky Sports anchor Thomas, 47, whose wife Gemma died suddenly in 2017 from a rare form of cancer, said he and their ten-year-old son, Ethan, are now ‘light years away from the dark place they were in’.

The ex Blue Peter presenter recently struck up a relationship with legal professional Derrina Jebb, 29, and praised her for forming a ‘seamless bond’ with Ethan after they started dating in 2018.

Thomas shared a touching and honest account of how she has impacted his and Ethan’s life, adding that he is now ready to ‘chase life down again’.

Sky Sports presenter Simon Thomas, 47, said his son Ethan, ten, now felt he had a family again thanks to his dad’s new girlfriend Derrina Jebb, 29. Ethan’s mother Gemma died of an aggressive form of cancer in 2017. Pictured: Ethan, Derrina and Simon together at Durdle Door in Dorset

Norfolk-born father-of-one Simon, 47, has been raising son Ethan, 10, single-handedly after losing his wife Gemma (pictured) to cancer at the end of 2017, seen in 2015

Norfolk-born father-of-one Simon, 47, has been raising son Ethan, 10, single-handedly after losing his wife Gemma (pictured) to cancer at the end of 2017, seen in 2015

In an interview with Red magazine, Thomas said: ‘Ethan and I will always remember Gemma, but I want to chase life down again because it is there to be embraced.

‘Ethan will grow up without a mum and this is a source of ongoing pain, but Derrina has become everything but to him.

‘We see each other at weekends and when I ask Ethan why he likes spending time with her, he says “I feel like a family.”

‘She has never tried to be his mother, but she’s another person he can talk to and they’ve formed a seamless bond.

Widowed presenter Simon Thomas shared a poignant photo of his son in the year after he lost his mother and admitted he thought the youngster's 'life was over'

Widowed presenter Simon Thomas shared a poignant photo of his son in the year after he lost his mother and admitted he thought the youngster’s ‘life was over’

What is Acute myeloid leukaemia?

Leukaemia is cancer of the white blood cells. Acute leukaemia means it progresses quickly and aggressively, and usually requires immediate treatment.

AML is a rare type of cancer, with around 3,100 people diagnosed with it each year in the UK.

The risk of developing AML increases with age. It’s most common in people over 75.

Myeloid cells are a type of blood cells that do different things, such as fighting bacterial infections, defending the body against parasites and preventing the spread of tissue damage 

The cause for it’s not clear exactly what causes AML and, in most cases, there’s no identifiable cause. 

Source: NHS.uk 

‘I believe it works because we always include Ethan, ensuring he’s part of the conversation.’

He added: ‘Looking back, that dark place we were in feels like light years away now.’

Thomas was left heartbroken in November 2017 when his 40 year old wife died just three days after she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia, an aggressive form of cancer.

He met Miss Jebb through his church and is yet to return to full-time work as his ‘focus has been solely on Ethan’.

 

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