GLORIA Hunniford shared her heartbreak when she discovered her husband had sadly died aged 85 after a “heroic battle with his illness”.
The veteran TV presenter confirmed the tragic news today, after her beloved partner Stephen Way passed away yesterday afternoon.
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Gloria Hunniford’s husband Stephen Way sadly passed away yesterday afternoonCredit: PA
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The presenter shared her heartbreak over his deathCredit: PA
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Gloria paid tribute to ‘a gentleman and a giant of a man’Credit: PA
Devastated Gloria, 84, paid tribute to a “kind, generous and caring man” and spoke of her “huge shock” at his death in an emotional statement.
She said: “Stephen was a gentleman and a giant of a man, who will leave the biggest void not only in my life, but in our whole family.
“He was an incredibly kind, generous and caring man, with a wonderfully wacky sense of humour, which remained to the end.
“We had an incredibly happy 25-year marriage and we did so many beautiful and exciting things together that I will always cherish.”
She added: “This is a huge shock and words cannot express my sadness at this time.
“The bright shining light has dimmed and he will be missed at every turn.”
Stephen’s family said in a statement: “It is with tremendous sadness and heavy hearts that we share the passing of Stephen Way, Gloria’s beloved husband, who lost his battle yesterday afternoon.
“Stephen battled his illness heroically…but always with great tenacity and a positive spirit.”
Gloria revealed last year that her husband had been left partially blind in his right eye after suffering a second stroke.
He had his first stroke in 2012, and his heart attack in 2004.
Gloria previously said: “He told me about the garden, he told me there was something wrong with his left hand and he said it was like cotton wool and he had no control over it.”
She also hailed the NHS for saving Stephen’s life after he was involved in a taxi accident in 2019.
The incident broke the base of his spine.
The couple married on 5 September 1998 at St Peter’s Parish Church, Hever, Kent.
LOVE AND LAUGHTER
Last September, they marked their 25th wedding anniversary by going to the place where they got married.
In a conversation with Hello! Gloria said at the time that “love, laughter and good conversation” were key to a happy marriage.
“Of course, there is physical attraction, but our relationship is full of kindness and humor. We enjoy talking to each other. Talking, talking, talking – it’s a wonderful thing,” she added.
Gloria has two children, Michael and Paul Keating, with her first husband, Don Keating.
Stephen Way was there to support the legendary TV presenter when she lost her daughter Caron Keating to breast cancer in 2004.
Brett’s husband was also by her side during her health battles.
It came after the Loose Women star was rushed to hospital with kidney stones and sepsis.
In an interview with The Mirror in 2023, he said: “One last thing [the doctors] said before I went into theater was, ‘Once I get this stent out, you’ll feel a lot better.’
“But the next thing I realized after coming out of anesthesia was a nurse telling me, ‘Don’t worry, don’t panic.
“But we have to transfer you by ambulance to another hospital because we can’t raise your blood pressure.”
“Fortunately, it didn’t go beyond the kidneys. I guess that’s why I felt so terrible and that leveled me up for a while.”
A few years earlier, Gloria had also been in hospital after breaking a bone in her eye socket in a fall which forced her to miss the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
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The happy couple attended the We Will Rock You Gala at the London ColiseumCredit: PA
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The couple married on 5 September 1998 at St Peter’s Parish Church, Hever, KentCredit: PA
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