Christine McGuinness has shared her heartbreak at the news Ann Summers founder Jacqueline Gold has died at the age of 62. Her family confirmed the news on Friday (March 17) and said she died on Thursday evening (March 16) after seven years of treatment for breast cancer.
A family statement said: "It is with unspeakable sadness that Ann Summers confirms our amazing executive chair Jacqueline Gold CBE passed away yesterday evening with her husband Dan, daughter Scarlett, sister Vanessa, and brother-in-law Nick, by her side.”
Her sister Vanessa added: "Jacqueline courageously battled stage four breast cancer for seven years and was an absolute warrior throughout her cancer journey. In life she was a trailblazer, a visionary, and the most incredible woman, all of which makes this news that much harder to bear. As a family, we are utterly heartbroken at the loss of our wife, mum, sister, and best friend."
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Ms Gold was best known for leading lingerie brand Ann Summers and growing the retailer into a familiar sight on UK high streets. The brand was developed by David and Ralph Gold, her father and uncle, after snapping up the retailer’s early business following liquidation in 1972.
In 1981, Ms Gold first joined the business on an internship. After first joining the operation, Ms Gold launched the Ann Summers party to grow the brand. Around ten years later, Ms Gold was then made a director of the business before swiftly being named as its chief executive officer.
She continued to lead the business, which has 81 stores, in recent years as executive chair alongside her sister Vanessa, who is now chief executive officer. She was made a CBE in the 2016 New Year Honours for services to entrepreneurship, women in business and social enterprise.
Taking to Instagram following the news, Christine shared an image of Ms Gold featured '1960 - 2023'. "Absolutely heartbreaking news today. One of the most powerful women I have ever met @jacquelinegoldcbe," the model typed on her Stories. "Our conversations around female empowerment and supporting cancer research will stay with me forever."
She added: "Heaven has gained an absolute diamond woman. Rest in peace, Jacqueline." Christine then followed up the post with a video of her and Jacqueline together back in 2021 after she joined the brand as a model for a campaign which ended up being a first for Ann Summers.
"@jacquelinegoldcbe made me the first and only mum to ever front an @annesummers campaign," the 34-year-old shared. "Her strong beliefs in women supporting women were unbelievably inspiring. Forever grateful to have worked with her. Absolutely heartbroken."
Christine has also taken to social media to thank her fans and followers for their support following the release of her first solo documentary about her adult autism diagnosis at 33 while lifting the lid on living with the developmental disorder. Christine McGuinness: Unmasking My Autism saw the mum-of-three provide an eye-opening insight into her autism and met others living with the condition.
Her behaviour as a child was misunderstood as 'being naughty' and she dropped out of school at 14 without qualifications and entered beauty pageants. Her titles included Miss Commonweath for England, Miss Cheshire and Miss Liverpool and it was through dressing up that she embraced the "power of pretending."
Christine revealed she had also been diagnosed with the developmental disability, caused by differences in the brain that affects how people communicate and interact with the world, towards the end of 2021, after all three of her children - twins Penelope and Leo, nine, and youngest daughter, six-year-old Felicity - were given the same diagnosis.
Posting on Instagram after the documentary aired, the former Real Houswives of Cheshire star typed: "Posting on Instagram, she said: "Thank you so much to each and every one of you who took time to watch my documentary last night. The response has been incredible, very overwhelming but incredible.
"I am trying to get through as many messages as possible, you have all been so kind.. I appreciate you. ‘Christine McGuinness: Unmasking my autism’ is available to watch on @bbciplayer."
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