GB News presenter Andrew Pierce struggled to hold back tears as he delivered a live report from the funeral of former Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe at Buckfast Abbey in Devon on 12 August. Around 100 family members, friends and colleagues gathered at the Catholic abbey, where Widdecombe regularly attended worship and which she had described as her "safe haven".
Requiem mass and emotional tribute
Widdecombe died on 8 July aged 78 after being found with severe head injuries at her home in Haytor on Dartmoor. Mourners dressed in black for the requiem mass, and the live coverage was interrupted as Pierce gave viewers an update while struggling to compose himself.
Speaking on GB News, Pierce said: "It's been a remarkably emotional day as you can imagine. The family wanted it to just be family and friends." He added: "It was a requiem mass at Buckfast Abbey. Most Sundays, she would be here at mass. Very close to her home at Widdecombe's rest on Dartmoor where she met that terrible death."
Family tributes and lasting legacy
Pierce recounted a tribute from Widdecombe's nephew, Roger, a Church of England vicar, who said: "None of us can understand the nature of the death. None of us can digest the shock of what happened. Of course we can't." Pierce admitted: "I was struggling to hold the tears back."
The Abbey Church released a statement saying Widdecombe would be "missed and fondly remembered" and that "many in our worshipping community knew her as a kind and warm character". The statement added: "Ann was a woman of profound faith, a faith which found expression in the public forum of politics. Ann was unafraid to express her unwavering convictions, formed through her Roman Catholic faith. She had a sharp intellect and was a dedicated public servant."
The order of service featured tributes from the Rev Roger Widdecombe and Sir Christian Sweeting, a close friend. A public memorial for Widdecombe is planned for later this year.
