logo
Ed Davey opens up on caring for disabled son in candid This Morning interview

Ed Davey opens up on caring for disabled son in candid This Morning interview

Daily Mirrora day ago

This Morning hosts Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard sat down for a chat with Ed Davey and his wife Emily as they discussed caring for their teenage son
This Morning was back on TV on Tuesday (10 June), with Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard once again steering the ship for another jam-packed episode.
The duo covered the latest news, fashion advice and health topics during the programme, which also featured a heartfelt interview with politician Ed Davey and his wife Emily.

Ed, who is at the helm of the Liberal Democrat party, and Emily opened up about their experiences caring for their 17 year old son John, who has learning and physical disabilities due to an unidentified neurological condition. John requires constant care, which both Ed and Emily provide in conjunction with external carers.

Their lad still doesn't have an official diagnosis, with Ed noting that John struggles with walking and communication, adding: "Because he's undiagnosed, you're on a journey both with the people in the health service, and other carers."
"He's our wonderful boy and we've tried to help him become as independent as possible," said Ed, who also has a daughter Ellie with his wife, reports Wales Online.
Emily then shared the realities of being a carer for a loved one, expressing her belief that carers are simply "too tired" to campaign for their voices to be heard.
"We're not different from anybody else, it's a very ordinary story in many ways of being a carer," Emily, who tied the knot with Ed in 2005, told Ben and Cat.
"But, part of the issue about being a carer is that it's physically and emotionally exhausting, so by the end of the day, you just collapse into bed."

Ed confessed that he and Emily are "very lucky," before stating: "Because I'm in politics, I want to make sure I can be the voice of many carers out there."
The couple's appearance on This Morning was also to celebrate the launch of Ed's autobiography, titled Why I Care: And Why Care Matters, which hit the bookshops on 22 May.
The book allows the politician to share "a deeply personal account of life as a carer and a call to support those who care for others." It also includes stories from other carers, aiming to raise awareness.
Ed has been a passionate supporter of carers for many years and also has an interest in speech therapy, as John has speech difficulties.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Wynne Evans says Strictly controversy took him into ‘darkest spot' of his life
Wynne Evans says Strictly controversy took him into ‘darkest spot' of his life

Leader Live

time2 hours ago

  • Leader Live

Wynne Evans says Strictly controversy took him into ‘darkest spot' of his life

The Welsh tenor, 53, known for the GoCompare insurance advertisements, competed in the recent series of the BBC dancing programme alongside professional Katya Jones. Evans recently announced that he had been dropped by the BBC and will no longer present on BBC Radio Wales following an apology saying that he used 'inappropriate language' during the launch of the Strictly Come Dancing tour. The apology came after the Mail On Sunday reported in January that he aimed a sexual joke at one of the other professional dancers, Janette Manrara. Speaking on ITV's This Morning, he claimed the story was taken out of context and that he was talking to fellow contestant, EastEnders star Jamie Borthwick, who he gave the nickname 'old spit roast boy' to. He said: 'I used to call him this because he could contort his legs over his head. 'I didn't know there was a reporter still there, recording, apparently, on their phone. 'Even though I'm looking at Jamie, they claim that I'm directing this word at Janette. And it's totally been taken out of context. 'When I saw the narrative in the newspaper, I was just shocked and horrified.' He added that the nickname was 'unsuitable' and 'inappropriate' and claims that he was misrepresented. This comes after Borthwick was suspended from the BBC when a video emerged of the actor using a disabled slur on the set of the dance programme. Evans added that he never approved of the statement that was issued by the BBC in January where he apologised for making an 'inappropriate and unacceptable' comment. He said: 'They didn't run it by me. They sent it off to the newspaper. They printed that as my apology. And, of course, then it looks like I validated the story.' A BBC spokesperson said: 'The apology issued on Wynne's behalf by the Strictly Come Dancing Tour PR representative on Saturday January 25 was fully approved by Wynne.' While recounting the controversy, he got visibly emotional and said that he wanted to end his life. He said: 'I've had clinical depression since 2016, diagnosed. It took me into the darkest spot of my life. 'I was at my lowest ebb. I wanted to end my life. I would have if I hadn't been surrounded by people. 'At one point one of the newspapers was so relentless, I remember saying to my girlfriend, I have to kill myself, I have to, because this is what they want.' He added that he was under the crisis team for a month with his family, friends and girlfriend on a rota to be with him 24 hours a day. Overnight, Evans has also shared in an Instagram post that he is engaged to his girlfriend Liz Brookes, saying that he is feeling 'very lucky' after proposing in Morocco.

Wynne Evans apologises and says 'I'm not a victim' after Strictly controversy
Wynne Evans apologises and says 'I'm not a victim' after Strictly controversy

ITV News

time6 hours ago

  • ITV News

Wynne Evans apologises and says 'I'm not a victim' after Strictly controversy

Opera singer Wynne Evans has apologised and said he didn't want to come across as a victim when speaking about the controversy around his time on Strictly Come Dancing. The Welsh tenor, 53, known for the GoCompare insurance advertisements, competed in the recent series of the BBC dancing programme alongside professional Katya Jones. Evans recently announced that he had been dropped by the BBC and will no longer present on BBC Radio Wales following reports that he used 'inappropriate language' during the launch of the Strictly Come Dancing tour. Speaking on ITV's This Morning, he apologised and said: 'I don't want to sit here today coming across as a victim because I'm not.' He went on to say the story had been taken out of context and that he was talking to fellow contestant, EastEnders star Jamie Borthwick, who he gave the nickname 'old spit roast boy' to. He said: 'I used to call him this because he could contort his legs over his head. 'I didn't know there was a reporter still there, recording, apparently, on their phone. 'Even though I'm looking at Jamie, they claim that I'm directing this word at Janette. And it's totally been taken out of context." He added that the nickname was 'unsuitable' and 'inappropriate' but claims that he was misrepresented. Evans also said that he never approved of the statement that was issued by the BBC in January where he apologised for making an 'inappropriate and unacceptable' comment. He said: 'They didn't run it by me. They sent it off to the newspaper. They printed that as my apology. And, of course, then it looks like I validated the story.' A BBC spokesperson said: 'The apology issued on Wynne's behalf by the Strictly Come Dancing Tour PR representative on Saturday January 25 was fully approved by Wynne.' While recounting the controversy, Evans spoke about another incident in which he gifted fellow contestant Jamie Borthwick a sex toy. He said: 'That was a joke that went too far and I apologise for that.' During the interview on This Morning, he got visibly emotional and said that he had thought about ending his life. 'I've had clinical depression since 2016, diagnosed. It took me into the darkest spot of my life. 'I was at my lowest ebb. I wanted to end my life. I would have if I hadn't been surrounded by people. 'At one point one of the newspapers was so relentless, I remember saying to my girlfriend, 'I have to kill myself, I have to, because this is what they want'.' He added that he was under the crisis team for a month with his family, friends and girlfriend on a rota to be with him 24 hours a day.

Wynne Evans says Strictly controversy took him into ‘darkest spot' of his life
Wynne Evans says Strictly controversy took him into ‘darkest spot' of his life

South Wales Guardian

time7 hours ago

  • South Wales Guardian

Wynne Evans says Strictly controversy took him into ‘darkest spot' of his life

The Welsh tenor, 53, known for the GoCompare insurance advertisements, competed in the recent series of the BBC dancing programme alongside professional Katya Jones. Evans recently announced that he had been dropped by the BBC and will no longer present on BBC Radio Wales following an apology saying that he used 'inappropriate language' during the launch of the Strictly Come Dancing tour. The apology came after the Mail On Sunday reported in January that he aimed a sexual joke at one of the other professional dancers, Janette Manrara. Speaking on ITV's This Morning, he claimed the story was taken out of context and that he was talking to fellow contestant, EastEnders star Jamie Borthwick, who he gave the nickname 'old spit roast boy' to. He said: 'I used to call him this because he could contort his legs over his head. 'I didn't know there was a reporter still there, recording, apparently, on their phone. 'Even though I'm looking at Jamie, they claim that I'm directing this word at Janette. And it's totally been taken out of context. 'When I saw the narrative in the newspaper, I was just shocked and horrified.' He added that the nickname was 'unsuitable' and 'inappropriate' and claims that he was misrepresented. This comes after Borthwick was suspended from the BBC when a video emerged of the actor using a disabled slur on the set of the dance programme. Evans added that he never approved of the statement that was issued by the BBC in January where he apologised for making an 'inappropriate and unacceptable' comment. He said: 'They didn't run it by me. They sent it off to the newspaper. They printed that as my apology. And, of course, then it looks like I validated the story.' A BBC spokesperson said: 'The apology issued on Wynne's behalf by the Strictly Come Dancing Tour PR representative on Saturday January 25 was fully approved by Wynne.' While recounting the controversy, he got visibly emotional and said that he wanted to end his life. He said: 'I've had clinical depression since 2016, diagnosed. It took me into the darkest spot of my life. 'I was at my lowest ebb. I wanted to end my life. I would have if I hadn't been surrounded by people. 'At one point one of the newspapers was so relentless, I remember saying to my girlfriend, I have to kill myself, I have to, because this is what they want.' He added that he was under the crisis team for a month with his family, friends and girlfriend on a rota to be with him 24 hours a day. Overnight, Evans has also shared in an Instagram post that he is engaged to his girlfriend Liz Brookes, saying that he is feeling 'very lucky' after proposing in Morocco.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store