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Simon Thomas reveals he’s in ‘early stages of romance’ after wife’s tragic death

Gemma passed away in November last year

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Former Sky News presenter Simon Thomas has revealed he’s in the “early stages” of a new relationship one year after his wife, Gemma, passed away from cancer.

Gemma passed away in November last year at the age of 40 from acute myeloid leukaemia just three days after she was diagnosed.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live on Tuesday, Simon said his new relationship has been an “incredible support” for him following Gemma’s tragic death.

Read more: Simon Thomas removes wedding ring after wife’s death

He said: “I’m very aware she was someone I didn’t know before and have got to know over the last few weeks and months.

“Right from the early stages – she had this empathy towards me. She’s Christian as well and that’s important to me as a man of faith.”

Simon – who has a son Ethan with Gemma – continued: “She’s been an incredible support for me. She was the only person who would always pick up the phone.

“What I saw in her, I saw in Gemma. When she said my phone is always on, she meant it.”

Simon didn’t identify his new partner, however, admitted he’s starting to feel “in love”.

Instagram @simonthomassky
Gemma and Simon have a son together (Credit: Instagram)

Simon said: “I’m getting there, yeah. It’s in many ways strange to feel that way again.

“Sometimes I struggle with the phrase ‘moving on’ – I don’t think you ever really do move on from what’s happened.

“That hole that a loved one leaves doesn’t shrink over time. Life begins to grow around it. You begin to deal with some of the challenges grief throws up, being a single parent throws up.”

He added: “I’ve got two choices. Give up – I can’t do that, I don’t want to do that, I’ve got a boy to bring up, I promised Gemma. The only other choice then is you walk.

“Right from the start I felt, I’ve got to find life again.”

Even though he’s beginning a new relationship, Simon insisted Gemma has not been “replaced”.

He said: “This is potentially an area that can cause a lot of hurt. There’s a lot of misunderstanding that comes from this – we equate meeting someone else with forgetting the person who’s gone.

“There are no shoes left to be filled. There will never be another Gemma. We are unique – we come to the table with our different personalities. If you’re embarking on a new relationship, comparing is ultimately a futile task. There is no comparison.”

He continued: “It’s not my fault what happened to Gemma – it’s nobody’s fault. This person is helping me define life again, helping me to feel happy again.

“I can completely understand why some people do [feel that way]. But for most people we lose, they won’t want us to remain in this empty landscape of grief.”

Simon also said he intends to take his time introducing his new partner to Gemma’s family.

He said: “The hard thing for Gemma’s family – they’ve not met her yet. She doesn’t want to appear insensitive, launching in there, ‘here I am guys’.

“When the time comes for them to meet, this will be a very physical representation, it will be a very painful reminder of the physical absence of Gemma. We do need to take our time.”

Read more: Simon Thomas leaves Sky Sports job after wife Gemma’s death


Rebecca Carter
Associate Editor (News)