TV judge Rob Rinder has paid tribute to his father David, who died on Wednesday at the age of 73. The 48-year-old telly star shared a lengthy message on Instagram on Thursday alongside photos with his late father, describing him as 'funny, beautifully flawed and loving'.
Rinder said he 'wasn't sure' whether to share the news at first, but ultimately decided to raise awareness of the 'desperately under-researched' illness his father had been suffering from. He explained it was Lewy body dementia (LBD), which affects around 125,000 people in the UK.
A father remembered
In a tribute beneath a childhood photo with his father, Rinder wrote: 'My dad died yesterday aged 73. I wasn't sure whether to share this but if it brings attention to an illness too few people understand, perhaps it belongs here.'
The barrister and broadcaster, known for his Judge Rinder courtroom show, appearances on Strictly Come Dancing and as a regular host on Good Morning Britain, remembered his father as 'a London cabbie and lifelong Spurs supporter'. He continued: 'My parents divorced when I was little so I did not grow up with him at home. We were very different men. I loved opera and all its drama; he loved Tottenham and cigarettes. We both took people as we found them and we both loved women, though in rather different ways. I never once doubted his pride in me.'
Rinder is openly gay and has previously discussed coming out in his early 20s. Touching on that, he said of his father: 'When I came out he responded with magnificent indifference: I was still his son, there was nothing else to discuss.'
Praise for carers and awareness campaign
Rinder praised the work of charity Jewish Care, which looked after his father and was 'a place where dignity and tenderness were practised every day'. He wrote: 'A Jewish man, held in his final days by people of different faiths: a quiet reminder that what is sacred in us is also what we share. He died with his family around him, loved and held to the last. Funny, beautifully flawed, loving and my dad.'
He concluded the post with a message about Lewy body dementia, saying the condition took his father 'far too young' and 'made the familiar strange and the certain uncertain'. The TV star became a patron of the Lewy Body Society charity following his father's diagnosis, and has since campaigned to raise awareness of the condition. 'Please learn its name, learn its signs and if you can, support the work to change that,' he said.
Condition and condolences
According to the NHS, LBD is one of the most common types of dementia and is rare in anyone under the age of 65. Those with the condition can suffer with slow movement, stiff limbs and tremors, as well as disturbed sleep that often includes violent movements and shouting out. Fainting spells, hallucinations and hearing voices are common, as are depression, anxiety and problems with understanding, memory and judgement.
Fans and famous friends offered their condolences. TV comic Alan Carr wrote: 'So sorry Rob,' followed by a red love heart. Rylan, who Rinder hosted the Grand Tour travel show with, responded with a heart emoji, as did Good Morning Britain co-host Susanna Reid. This Morning star Ruth Langsford posted: 'I'm so sorry Rob... but it sounds like he lived quite the life and you loved each other despite your differences... that's beautiful. May he rest in peace. Love to you and your family.' Dermot O'Leary said: 'So sorry Rob, lovely words. Sending our love xx.' Loose Women's Denise Welch commented: 'Much love to you Rob, A beautiful message.' Broadcasting legend Vanessa Feltz wrote: 'Dearest friend wishing you long life and sending you my love, support and deepest condolences. The chequered but sustaining relationship you shared with your father was singular and inspiring. He must have been so proud of the courageous and crusading man you have become. Love always, Vanessa.'
