Our baby joy...life is blessed

Six years on from wites death, SIMON.» tells of turnaround

- AMANDA EVANS

Just over six years ago, Simon Thomas was in the depths of despair after his wife Gemma died suddenly, leaving him to bring up their son Ethan alone.

But since then, the TV host's life has been turned around after he found love again, had a second child and is now preparing to welcome his third into the world.

Gemma died at the age of 40 just days after she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia in 2017.

Sky Sports Soccer Saturday host and former Blue Peter presenter Simon stopped working after the tragedy as he focused on Ethan.

A new relationship blossomed with Derrina, and they married in 2021. The couple had daughter Talitha the following year. She is nearly a year and a half. And, speaking of their second baby joy, Simon, 51, said: "The baby is due in a few weeks' time, so quite close to the end of the football season.

"It's been a massive joy to see Ethan having Talitha in the house, and in a few weeks' time another brother or sister, so it's been lovely. Obviously there's an age gap but they've got at lovely bond even though Talitha's only got about five or six words currently.

"The way her face lights up when he comes home from school.

"She can say "bye-bye' now and she loves watching him play his guitar. So it's been a real source of joy.