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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Entertainment
Tina Campbell

Tom Parker's widow Kelsey gives The Wanted her blessing to continue band without him

The widow of Tom Parker says she fully supports his band The Wanted reuniting two years after his death.

The group - whose hits include All Time Low and Glad You Came - all toured together in 2022 and just weeks after it came to an end, Tom tragically died on March 30 from a brain tumour aged 33.

Last month saw surviving bandmates Max George and Siva Kaneswaran perform in India minus Jay McGuiness and Nathan Sykes, marking the first time they had hit the road since Tom’s passing.

Kelsey - who was married to Tom for four years and shared two children with him - says she thinks it’s “great” that The Wanted are back together.

Tom Parker (center) pictured with his band The Wanted (Getty Images for BAUER)

Speaking to The Standard, she said: “I think it will be lovely for them to do more stuff

“It’s obviously hard for me to listen to the songs, but I think for the boys it’s great to keep the music alive for Tom.”

Kelsey meanwhile is continuing to honour Tom’s memory by organising a charity football match on Father's Day (16 June) to raise money and awareness of brain tumours at Dorking Wanderers’ Meadowbank Football Ground.

This is the second time that the event will have taken place, with the inaugural one last year held at Bromley FC where it raised £30,000 for Ahead of The Game brain tumour charity.

Kelsey Parker pictured with her and Tom’s children Aurelia, four, and three-year-old Bodhi (Instagram @being_kelsey)

“It will be the most incredible day,” she enthused. “It’s all about families and celebrating Tom on Father’s Day and for my kids to have a legacy for their dad.

“It’s all about awareness, that’s why we’re doing it because brain tumours are so underfunded. When Tom was diagnosed it was such a shock how much funding actually goes to brain tumours and how none of us know anything about brain tumours until you’re in that situation.”

Tom was a huge football fan and played in charity football matches.

His and Kelsey’s son Bodhi, three, has also recently begun to take an interest in the sport.

“Bodhi has just started playing football on a Monday, like a little tots class for three-year-olds so he actually into football now which is lovely and every day he wants to wear a football kit so I think he’ll love [the charity football match] even more this year.”

Grove Gallery will once again act as sponsor with this year’s star-studded line-up of players set to include Hollyoaks actor Richard Blackwood, former TOWIE star Dan Osbourne, Alex Bain from Coronation Street, and retired footballer Jamie O’Hara, while Thomas Law, Jaden Ladega and Juhaim Rasul Choudhury will be representing EastEnders.

Former Love Island favourite Scott Thomas will be on hosting duties alongside Kelsey on the day while the action on the pitch will be overseen by ex-Premier League referee Mike Dean.

For more information and to buy tickets, visit the Dorking Wanderers website.

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