Jeremy Vine was unable to hold back tears as he paid a heartfelt tribute to his close friend Ann Widdecombe live on his Channel 5 show, following the shocking news that her death is now being treated as a murder and terror investigation.
The beloved TV presenter made his first appearance back on The Jeremy Vine Show on Monday (July 13) since it was announced that Ann's death had become a murder investigation. The moment proved deeply moving for viewers as Vine struggled to contain his emotions.
Ann Widdecombe's Final Days
Ann, a frequent guest on the Channel 5 show, was found dead last week just hours after she had been due to appear on his programme. A member of the production team had been in contact with the former politician on the very day of her passing, but she never showed up for the scheduled online interview.
The 78-year-old TV personality, who had delighted audiences on both Strictly and Celebrity Big Brother, had appeared on The Jeremy Vine Show more than 50 times and rarely turned down a spot on his BBC Radio 2 programme either.
Emotional Tribute On Air
Guest and political commentator Iain Dale paid a touching tribute to Ann during the show, telling Jeremy: "She loved coming on it. She loved your viewers and she loved you. You were part of her family and she really spoke very highly of you, and I know you went out of your way to be kind to her."
Jeremy thanked him for his kind words and became noticeably moved as his voice began to waver. Looking down and away from the camera, the presenter's eyes welled up with tears, reports the Mirror.
Struggling to articulate his thoughts, he said: "Well, that is too much to hear today. Thank you so much, Iain. We are involved here because, on the day of her death, this office was in touch with her by chance."
Memorable Moments Remembered
Jeremy and his guests also fondly recalled a memorable moment from last year when Ann had viewers in stitches after she donned a bucket hat and listened to Oasis "for the first time" on the show. True to form, she declined the offer of complimentary concert tickets, saying she much preferred Cliff Richard and The Shadows.
Investigation Update
Counter terrorism police have confirmed they are leading the investigation into Ann's death. Officers said "new information and evidence has come to light", prompting the case to be handed from Devon and Cornwall Police to the specialist counter terror team.
A 28-year-old white British man has been arrested on suspicion of the former MP and MEP's murder. Head of National Counter Terrorism Policing, Laurence Taylor, said on Monday (July 13): "Building on the progress made by our colleagues in Devon and Cornwall Police, we now have new information and evidence that means Counter Terrorism Policing is now leading the investigation. We are pursuing multiple lines of enquiry to establish the motivation for this attack."
The Jeremy Vine Show airs weekdays at 9.15am on Channel 5.
