Martin Lewis shared his heartache on This Morning today following the death of his mum when he was a child.
He opened up during a conversation about blended families and the ‘Wicked Stepmother’ stereotype putting women off dating.
Martin lost his beloved mum when he was 11, after she died in a tragic horse riding accident.
What happened to Martin Lewis’ mum?
Martin previously opened up about the death of this mother and how that shaped his childhood.
Speaking on Radio 5 Live in 2018, Martin said: “The next day [after the accident] my dad told me that she died that morning and that was the end of my childhood, that moment. I cried every day until I was 15 and then I stopped crying and became brittle.”
He also said on BBC Four’s Desert Island Discs: “I never left the house, couldn’t leave the house, because I wasn’t at home when it happened to my mum. I couldn’t cope with the thought of leaving the house because something else could happen.
“It was very difficult because when all my friends from school were going to parties and meeting girls and things like that, which I’d have liked to do. I couldn’t cope with it.”
Three years later, Martin’s dad moved on. On This Morning today (April 15), he addressed his feelings for his stepmother at the time.
‘I remember when she took down our family photos’
Speaking to hosts Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond, Martin said: “So, erm, my stepmother joined us in 1986 when I was 14 and the stereotype wasn’t the issue. The issue was I had a stepmother joining me when I was still in terrible grief over the loss of my mother.
“My stepmother did everything right, but there is nothing she could’ve done that would’ve made me want her to be there, because of the reason she was there. The great difficulties of… I remember when she took down some of our family photos, and that was, it was very difficult,” he said.
He then continued: “As an adult I understand it, but as a 14-year-old child it was tough.”
This Morning star Martin Lewis on his ‘post-traumatic stress and grief’
Martin then opened up on his relationship with his stepmother now.
“I get on well with my stepmother now and she’s still in my life. And I have a wonderful little half-sister and it’s all fantastic. But I think the thing within this conversation that’s slightly frustrating…
“Sorry,” he said, choking up slightly and composing himself. “I find this difficult… The thing that’s slightly frustrated me is all this talk is about the stepmother and there are children involved. You have stepparents on both sides. We were one family. We were with my dad because we lost my mum. And it was very hard for my stepmother.
“But it was very hard to have a stepmother when you’re a 14-year-old child suffering post-traumatic stress and grief.”
He then added: “My stepmother did the best job that she could and we get on very well now. But I didn’t want her there and I didn’t like her being there and I think that’s perfectly understandable at the time.
“So the whole nuance that it should all be fine and we should be loving this wonderful new world… It was a different era then but I expect it’ll still be the same for children now if they have to get over grief.”
‘It’s going to take work’
Offering his advice on anyone considering entering into a blended family, Martin added: “And I think any woman now who is looking at dating somebody and is going to be in a stepparent situation, to instantly say: ‘Oh it’ll all be fine, don’t be put off.’ No, there are other human beings involved and you are going to have to deal with some issues off the back of those human beings.
“They may be scarred from divorce or they may be scarred from grief. But either way, the stepmother stereotype, it’s ridiculous. But the concept that you’re just going to jump in and it’s all going to be fine in the blended family? No, it’s going to take work and compromise and dealing with it.”
Read more: Inside Angellica Bell’s Martin Lewis Money Show ‘secret sacking’
So what do you think of the ‘Wicked Stepmother’ stereotype? Tell us on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix.