Loose Women fans have spoken out in awe as the late Tom Parker's wife appeared on the programme. Kelsey was live on the ITV show on Friday (May 6) alongside Kaye Adams, Stacey Solomon, Katie Piper, and Nadia Sawalha.
It is the mum-of-two's first TV interview since Tom died in March. The singer, from Bolton, tragically died aged 33, 17 months after he was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour. He shared the news of his diagnosis to fans in October 2020 when Kelsey, was pregnant with their second child, Bodhi, who is now one. The couple, who married in 2018, also shared two-year-old daughter, Aurelia.
Kelsey announced the news of Tom's death on March 30 with a statement posted on Instagram alongside a grey and white picture of Tom, telling fans: "Our hearts are broken." Tom was laid to rest in a celebration of life ceremony on April 20. His widow led a cortege featuring three black horses through Petts Wood, south-east London after inviting her husband's fans to line the streets as they made their way to a private ceremony at St Francis of Assisi church.
Opening up to the panel, Kelsey said she "feels strong" just a month on from her husband's passing. She added: "I'm just getting through each day. I have the kids. I have to wake up each day, I have to get on with it, just trying to be as strong as possible in a really difficult situation and time for us all."
When Kaye then asked where she gets her strength from, Kelsey responded: "From within. I have to wake up each day and think ‘Right, come on, you can do it.’ What would he want me to do? He wouldn’t want me to sit around crying. He’d want me to get on with it." She added: "And the kids obviously, they’re not sad. They wake up and they’re happy. ‘What are we doing today?’ We’re going to the park."
Nadia asked Kelsey if the children are confused about what’s happened to their dad and Kelsey explained that upon advice she has been completely honest with her kids, particularly her eldest. She said: "I’ve been really, really honest, I’ve taken advice. Bodhi’s only 19 months old, he has no clue, but even the journey with Aurelia was really, really hard."
She went on: "When Tom went into the hospice, she was really confused… I did say to her he wouldn’t be coming home from the hospice and on the Wednesday when he did die, I was leaving to go to the hospice and I just said to her, 'I've got to go to make sure the angels take daddy. The angels are coming to collect him,' which is a really horrible conversation. The next day I had to tell her her dad’s dead. This is the advice I got - to be honest. I said, 'Dad's dead and he’s not coming back.' So she's still trying to digest that."
As she spoke about her 13-year love story with Tom, Kelsey said she was 'lucky' to have found the 'love of her life'. "The fact I met Tom at 19 in a really tough industry.... We were soulmates," she said. "We loved each other so much, he was my best friend… I found the love of my life at the age of 19 and I’ve spent all these years with him. How lucky am I to say I found love? I was so in love with him."
Now, Kelsey is determined to keep Tom’s legacy alive. "I's about the kids and learning and celebrating him. I want to be able to talk about their dad… Even the final moments were magical. That’s the sort of person he was." She added: "Did I think I was going to be a widow at 32 with two children? It’s so shocking. But I have to live my life and that’s what Tom would have wanted me to do."
Following her interview on the show, Loose Women viewers flocked to social media to show their support to Kelsey and her children as well as praise her for her bravery.
@EllaJane____ tweeted: "@Being_Kelsey is literally superwoman!! Tom would be so so proud #loosewomen."
"Kelsey Parker you are so strong! I have no words #LooseWomen," @LaurenSydney__ said. @TheThoughtStore shared: "@Being_Kelsey is without a doubt, THE most amazing woman. I'm in awe of her strength and dignity. My heart breaks for her. What an inspiration #loosewomen @loosewomen."
"Oh my gosh, what an incredible human Kelsey is!! Watching her on @loosewomen being so strong, absolutely hats off to her," @CarlaWarla88 wrote. @AmyW_x replied: "Kelsey is so strong, she is amazing. I’m sitting here in tears listening to her, can’t even imagine the hurt and pain they are all feeling. #LooseWomen."
"Kelsey Parker is one hell of a woman. She is so strong. I have so much admiration for her #LooseWomen," @bbettiekaren added.
Last month Tom's The Wanted bandmates released a new version of their single Gold Forever to raise money for The Brain Tumour Charity. Max George, Nathan Sykes, Siva Kaneswaran, and Jay McGuinness acted as pallbearers at the funeral with Max and Siva also standing up in the church to pay tribute to their 'brother'.
And after Tom's family requested Gold Forever be played at his memorial service, the band created an updated version of the track entitled Gold Forever (for Tom). The track was originally released in 2012 and reached number three on the Official Chart Company’s UK singles chart, making it The Wanted’s third top 10 single.
After a warm response from fans, the band made the song available for download to allow supporters to keep the track in memory of Parker. The Wanted, Island Records and the writers and producers of the song will be donating all net proceeds to The Brain Tumour Charity.
