ITV presenters Lorraine Kelly and Susannah Reid became emotional as they paid tribute to their ‘remarkable’ friend Dame Deborah James on TV today, following her death from bowel cancer aged just 40.
Dame Deborah, who raised more than £6million for cancer research in the final weeks of her life, was a regular on Lorraine’s ITV morning show as she raised awareness of the symptoms of bowel cancer.
Wearing a pink jacket, a nod to Dame Deborah’s favourite colour, and one of the campaigner’s ‘Rebellious Hope’ fundraising t-shirts, Lorraine held back tears as she remembered her friend’s ‘remarkable energy’.
Meanwhile GMB’s Susannah Reid said: ‘We are all going to celebrate her life and her achievements but what a loss.’
It came as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge shared their own personal tribute to Dame Deborah, saying she was an ‘inspirational and unfalteringly brave woman whose legacy will live on’.
Prince William cleared his diary and travelled to her parents’ home in Woking, Surrey, in mid-May to perform an honours ceremony at a tea party celebrating her extraordinary life.
The second in line to the throne and his wife had been deeply moved by her campaigning and bravery and paid a moving tribute to the mother-of-two, who is is survived by her two children Hugo, 14, and Eloise, 12, and her husband Sebastien.
The campaigner’s Bowelbabe fund surged past £6.8million in the hours after it was revealed the mother-of-two had passed away as people described how her tireless campaigning while she battled terminal cancer herself had saved their lives.
Wearing a pink jacket, a nod to Dame Deborah’s favourite colour, and a t-shirt with the words ‘Rebellious Hope’ on it, which had became Dame Deborah’s slogan, Kelly held back tears as she spoke to Steve Bland
Bland told Lorraine that Dame Deborah had ‘done so much, we’re so proud of her’ and told her that it hit him this morning at the crack of dawn
Susannah Reid became emotional as she spoke about cancer campaigner Deborah James and said ‘what a loss’
Dame Deborah James was an inspiration to millions and saved many lives including Teresa Whitfield, right, who said that she is only alive today because of an appearance on TV
‘And a few final things from Deborah…’find a life worth enjoying; take risks; love deeply; have no regrets; and always, always have rebellious hope. And finally, check your poo – it could just save your life,” the post read
The campaigner’s Bowelbabe fund surged past £6.8million in the hours after it was revealed the mother-of-two had passed away
Deborah (pictured with her children), parent to Hugo, 14, and Eloise, 12, with her husband Sebastien, was constantly labelled ‘inspirational’ by fans after candidly sharing her struggles on social media, as well as on Radio 5 Live’s You, Me and the Big C, of which she was one of three presenters
Deborah and her husband Sebastien Bowen in April 2019
She came to public prominence when she co-hosted the You, Me And The Big C podcast with Lauren Mahon and Rachael Bland. BBC newsreader Ms Bland died in September 2018, also aged 40, from breast cancer.
Ms Bland’s widower, Steve, joined Lorraine to remember Dame Deborah.
He said: ‘Last night was very odd, very surreal, very numb and then I was awake again at the crack of dawn this morning and it just hit me. This moment that we’ve known for five years that it’s coming – five and a half years since it was diagnosed, it was already incurable.
‘I think that makes what she’s done in those five and a half years, what she’s packed in and the people that she’s helped, and the lives that she’s saved, all the more remarkable. This was just never an easy ride for her and she’s done so much, and we’re so proud of her.’
Lorraine reflected on her ‘remarkable energy’ and added that if Deborah James wanted to get something done then she would do it.
Lorraine earlier appeared on GMB ahead of her own programme and spoke about Deborah, calling her ‘remarkable’
Deborah and Steve were good friends. Steve described her work over the last seven weeks as ‘madness’ which has included a clothing line, best-selling book and campaigning to get supermarkets to put bowel cancer symptoms on their toilet rolls
Lorraine also spoke to Dr Hilary, who worked alongside Deborah on the ‘No Buts’ campaign and described her as ‘a sheer force of personality’
Steve quipped: ‘It was often the power of steroids. When she was on one of her steroids she used to bombard us and you would just wake up in the morning and there would be 100 messages of all these different ideas.
‘She had an unbelievable zest for life and lived every single moment…no more so than the last seven or so weeks…’
He was alluding to the numerous things Deborah had done while she was receiving end-of-life care including releasing a clothing line, continued campaigning and becoming a dame.
Steve said: ‘Honestly who does that? It’s just madness.’
Lorraine said that Deborah did things on her own terms and was ‘very matter of fact’ about everything.
Steve replied: ‘I think she [Deborah] actually took a lot of inspiration from Rachel in the way that she tackled the last five or six weeks. I know she was messaging me last week, asking about how I organised the funeral and all that kind of thing. She was just super organised and did it on her terms.
‘Deb and Rachel used to talk a lot about being in denial, using denial as a really powerful tool, but I’ve always thought that actually does them a bit of a disservice, because Debs knew exactly what was happening to her, yet she stared it right in the face and lived life as hard as she possibly could, for as long as she possibly could.
‘I talked to her so much about living and the way that she died, she would have given anything for another week, another month, another year with her wonderful family…’
Lorraine also spoke to producer Helen Addis, who had breast cancer in 2018 and thought up the ‘No Buts Campaign’ with Deborah.
Helen said: ‘We said we need to get the nation talking more about poo so got on this mission. It’s not just what she has done for bowel cancer but what she has done for the bowel cancer community has been phenomenal.
‘She was such an inspiration for me personally and other people in the cancer community. It made everybody think if Debs can do it we can get through it. To us she was invincible.’
Dr Hilary, who worked alongside Deborah on the ‘No Buts’ campaign, described her as ‘a sheer force of personality.’
He added: ‘She has created a legacy that will benefit so many people. She’s saved lives already and she will go on to save hundreds more. Because she’s raised awareness of the symptoms, which is so important. She’s removed the stigma and embarrassment about talking about bottoms and butts and poo. And the money she’s raised, which will go into research…
In May Debirah James was made a dame by the Duke of Cambridge with William praising her for ‘going above and beyond to make a very special memory’. Her two children Hugo, 14, and Eloise, 12, and her husband Sebastien were by her side
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge today paid tribute to Dame Deborah and called her an ‘inspirational and unfalteringly brave woman whose legacy will live on’.
Dame Deborah James dead at 40: Poignant announcement from her family in full
The death of podcast host and mother-of-two Deborah James at the age of 40 was announced by her family on Instagram
We are deeply saddened to announce the death of Dame Deborah James; the most amazing wife, daughter, sister, mummy. Deborah passed away peacefully today, surrounded by her family.
Deborah, who many of you will know as Bowelbabe, was an inspiration and we are incredibly proud of her and her work and commitment to charitable campaigning, fundraising and her endless efforts to raise awareness of cancer that touched so many lives.
Deborah shared her experience with the world to raise awareness, break down barriers, challenge taboos and change the conversation around cancer. Even in her most challenging moments, her determination to raise money and awareness was inspiring.
We thank you for giving us time in private as a family, and we look forward to continuing Deborah’s legacy long into the future through the
Thank you for playing your part in her journey, you are all incredible.
And a few final things from Deborah…“find a life worth enjoying; take risks; love deeply; have no regrets; and always, always have rebellious hope. And finally, check your poo – it could just save your life.” x
‘If you want to talk about living with cancer, she is the epitome of how to live life to the full, despite a poor prognosis and outlook. She just went for it and she crammed into the last few years of her life what most people couldn’t do in a whole lifetime.’
Lorraine earlier appeared on GMB to speak about Deborah, saying: ‘It seems really strange because we knew this was coming but you kind of don’t think it’s going to happen because she has bounced back so often.
‘Back in January she was really, really ill and bounced back from that and we just thought she was going to be ok. But what a legacy, what a legacy. She has saved lives, she is remarkable and we are going to remember her with a lot of joy. Boy would she have made some politician. She was just a woman who got things done.’
Susanna added: ‘We are all going to celebrate her life and her achievements but what a loss.’
Actor Ben Richards told the show: ‘It’s amazing what she’s done, it’s a huge legacy. It’s one of those things that not many people talk about.
‘When they do, and Deborah was very much at the forefront of that, it makes a massive difference. It’s all about learning the symptoms and the signs and if we get on top of that quickly things can be a lot better. It’s very, very sad and she has left a huge legacy.’
He added: ‘To turn that around as she has done and create something so amazing. Financially it is incredible what she has done but even more importantly she really put it out there so that people got talking again.’
Dame Deborah’s death was announced on Instagram last night in a post that revealed that she was surrounded by her family after months of end of life care at her parents’ house in Surrey. In a poignant message to her 1million followers, it said that Dame Deborah’s final message to them was: ‘Find a life worth enjoying; take risks; love deeply; have no regrets; and always, always have rebellious hope. And finally, check your poo – it could just save your life’.
The message was accompanied by the always glamourous teacher turned broadcaster dancing on a balcony on holiday as the sun set behind her, as friends described her as a ‘warrior’ who ‘taught us how to live and taught us how to die’.
Today there were tributes from all over the world including Boris Johnson, who said: ‘What an inspiration she was to so many. The awareness she brought to bowel cancer and the research her campaigning has funded will be her enduring legacy. Because of her, many many lives will be saved.’
And cancer survivors thanked her for saving them. Teresa Whitfield was watching breakfast TV when she heard Dame Deborah describing her symptoms, which inspired Teresa to go to her GP immediately.
She said today: ‘Without her campaigning I wouldn’t have kept going back to me GP. She triggered something in me. And I’m now cancer free. She did save my life. I can only say thank you. Without her I don’t think I would be here today’.
Dame Deborah’s husband is yet to speak out about her death. But her mother Heather has said: ‘My heart is broken. Love you forever’.
Many shared her final podcast from last month, where she signed off in tears, saying: ‘I suppose that’s it from me. I’m pleased that I have got to the point where I can say it and we’ll see each other again, somewhere, dancing. And until then, please please enjoy life because it is so precious. All I want now is more time and more life. And check your poo. Come on. I can’t leave on any other words’.
Dame Deborah became a patron for Bowel Cancer UK following her diagnosis and worked to raise money and awareness of the charity.
Its chief executive Genevieve Edwards said her legacy would live on through her campaigning work and that she had a ‘special gift’ to connect with the public.
She said: ‘Deborah has been an incredible force for good, for our charity and others. Since the day of her diagnosis she has shone a bright light on bowel cancer.
‘She hasn’t stopped in her tireless attempts to raise awareness. She has raised thousands and thousands of pounds for the causes close to her heart and even in the most difficult days personally for her she has never stopped helping others.
‘Her star shone so bright and she will be missed by so many.’
Ms Edwards described Dame Deborah’s legacy as ‘huge’ and said she had never seen so many conversations about bowel cancer taking place. She has shone a very powerful light on it,’ she said.
‘But her warmth and her compassion, her energy and her humour, really connected with people and made something which is often difficult to talk about okay to talk about.
‘That has been her special gift – to connect with others and to have those difficult conversations. And in doing so prompt people to take action, and she has saved countless lives.’
The former deputy head teacher turned cancer campaigner, from west London, was diagnosed with bowel cancer in December 2016, and was told early on that she might not live beyond five years – a milestone that passed in the autumn of 2021.