Coronation Street star Jennie McAlpine opened up about her mum Linda’s tragic passing during her I’m A Celebrity stint in 2017.
The 40-year-old actress has lost both her parents; she was only 20 when her mother died. Although the actress was raised by her father after his split from Linda, she shared a warm bond with her mother.
However, Jennie didn’t see much of her mum in her final years, although her condition deteriorated drastically.
Jennie McAlpine on losing her mother
The Corrie star broke down on I’m A Celebrity as she told her campmates about the death of her father Tom. She then revealed that she was planning a memorial for her late mother after exiting the jungle.
Jennie’s mum Linda died at the age of 60 on Christmas Day after choking on her food. She was suffering from progressive supranuclear palsy, reports The Mirror.
Jennie knew all about it and it was difficult for her – no child would want to see their mother go through that
The TV star’s mum was only 17 when she was first diagnosed with the disease – a rare neurological condition that causes problems with balance, movement, vision, speech and swallowing.
Reportedly, Jennie found it “hard” to accept her mother’s condition and she stayed with her father through much of her mum’s illness.
Linda’s second husband Robin Parker said: “Jennie didn’t see her mum much during the years she was degenerating.” He went to recollect his late wife’s final day, which sadly happened to be Christmas.
He said: “I had to cut up her food, she struggled to swallow. She choked on a piece of meat. I came back into the room, saw her, and she just went limp.”
“I called the ambulance and someone came up to revive her, but couldn’t. In some sense I was relieved, I didn’t want her to suffer any more. Her suffering was heartbreaking – this was nature taking its course.”
Diagnosis was difficult
Although Linda showed symptoms for a long time, medical experts took a while to find out what was affecting her.
Robin said his late wife was even consulted by a psychologist because they “thought it was in her mind.” He explained: “She would fall too, for no reason. This went on for about five years, then eventually we got hold of a neurologist, who spotted it.”
The degenerative condition took such a toll on Linda that she was unable to open her eyes properly and had to have Botox injections. Her husband said: “It was an awful illness, one of the worst things I’ve ever seen.”
Meanwhile, Jennie couldn’t see her mother suffer. Commenting on the mother-daughter relationship Robin said: “Jennie knew all about it and it was difficult for her – no child would want to see their mother go through that. She kept her distance, not for any nasty reason, it was just one of those things.”
He added: “There was no bad blood. She would come and visit her mum, she’s been round to the flat. They still did things together. They’d do the normal mother and daughter things – shopping and things like that.”
Read more: Jennie McAlpine’s weight loss: How Coronation Street’s Foz dropped three dress sizes
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