Sky Sports presenter Simon Thomas has revealed the painful moment his young son discovered his struggle with alcohol addiction, nine years after losing his wife to cancer.
Heartbreaking confession
The Soccer Saturday star, 53, lost his wife Gemma, 40, to blood cancer in 2017, just three days after she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. The couple's son Ethan was only eight at the time.
Speaking on Matt Willis's On The Mend podcast, Thomas admitted he turned to alcohol as a coping mechanism, buying a bottle of vodka every day. However, Ethan gradually became aware of his father's addiction.
Thomas explained: 'He began to cotton on as the months went on. The reason why Daddy would never let him have a sip of his Diet Coke in the evenings wasn't because it had caffeine in. Well, it was partly that, but it's because Dad had something in there he shouldn't.'
The presenter expressed deep regret over the memories his son was exposed to, saying: 'I've left him with all those memories and that's probably, in terms of my recovery from all of that period, almost been harder than letting go of the alcohol. It's been letting go of the shame.'
Life after loss
Describing Gemma's death as hitting him 'like an earthquake', Thomas recalled the rapid deterioration of her health: 'We went from Monday night with her being diagnosed with a blood cancer... things were looking OK but then things just cartwheeled out of control. On the Friday she falls unconscious and by 8.30am I'm being told by a consultant she's not going to see out the day.'
In 2024, Thomas praised his partner Derrina, whom he credits with helping him through grief. The couple now have two children, Talitha, three, and Theo, two. Thomas described Derrina as a 'wonderful stepmum' who loves Ethan 'like her own', adding: 'Without a doubt, she is the reason Ethan is on a level footing.'
If you are struggling with alcohol abuse or addiction, advice and support can be found at alcoholchange.org.uk.
