Kelsey Parker has spoken further about her decision to take off her wedding and engagement rings almost two years after her husband Tom's death.
Earlier this month, the widow, 33, revealed she had decided to take the "painful" step after "torturing herself" for months over when would be the right time.
The Wanted singer Tom died aged 33 in March 2022 following a year-and-a-half long battle with stage four glioblastoma brain cancer, leaving behind Parker and their two young children, Aurelia, four, and Bodhi, three.
Since then, Parker has shared her journey as she navigates grief in a documentary, book and with regular online posts.
Appearing on ITV's Lorraine on Friday, she told host Lorraine Kelly that having taken the significant pieces of jewellery off, she now feels "clearer" and the need to focus on herself and their children.
The Kent-born personality explained: “I felt this year was the right time to take the wedding ring off. I am married to Tom but not in this lifetime. He’s not here any more, so I’m not actually married to anyone, so it felt I needed to… I was looking down at it remembering the happy times but also that he’s not here with me.
“I feel like I’m a lot clearer this year and I need to focus on myself and my children and just moving forward. I feel like taking that off is a symbol that it needs to be in a box now.”
Parker added that reading the comments when she shared that she would be removing the ring on Instagram made her realise that everyone’s journey is different.
She said: “Some people did take it off straight away and I was like, ‘I couldn’t have done it.’ When he was in the hospice, he placed his wedding ring on my finger. For me I felt like, ‘I’ve got to keep it on, but now is the time. It just feels right for me, I don’t know what it is. With me, I just go with what’s right for me.
“I am 33, I had such an amazing relationship with Tom, I was 19 when we met. We had such an amazing bond. But I am 33 and I have two children.
“I feel like I lost myself, because I became Tom’s carer when I was ill. it was all about Tom, then Tom passed away, then it became about my children. That’s why I feel this year I’ve got to put myself first. It needs to be about me. I’ve given so much to the people I love, but I need to start loving myself a little bit more.”
