CHARLENE White’s sister Carina has revealed that their great-aunt who died from Covid became a mother figure to them after their mum tragically passed away aged 47.
The ITV newsreader, 42, was left heartbroken when her great-aunt Dell passed away from the virus in 2020 at St Thomas’ Hospital in London.
Charlene opened up about tragically losing her great-aunt while in the I’m A Celebrity camp as she slammed MP Matt Hancock, 44, for breaking social distancing guidelines through his affair with his aide Gina Coladangelo.
The Loose Women star, who shares children Florence, three, and Alfie, five, with TV producer Andy, was just 21 when her mum Dorette died from bowel cancer in 2002 which led to her looking after her younger siblings Carina and Joshua.
Reflecting on their great-aunt stepping up as a mother figure to Charlene, Carina said: “Yes the elders in our family were all very much like mother figures and with my great-aunt she was very much a kind of grandmother.
“She was there for us when my mum passed so not having her around and having to go to her funeral and stuff was very, very tough.
“But in our family we have all been instilled with values and morals and strength to be able to overcome adversity and to move forward and to turn pain into strength – I think that is what we have all done following our aunt’s death.”
Recalling her great-aunt’s death in the camp to the under-fire politician, Charlene said: “We couldn’t go to the hospital to go and visit her.
“I had to sit by myself in the church at her funeral. We couldn’t hug each other because we were following guidance.
“I get that you fell in love, I understand all of those things, but sorry for a lot of families like mine doesn’t really cut it.”
Asked about Charlene’s reaction to the West Suffolk MP entering the camp, Carina said: “I think everyone was so shocked to see him, even Charlene. No one could believe it.
“And that was literally the British public’s facial expression: ‘We can’t believe it’. I think with her she asked the questions people wanted to hear and she did really well.
“She asked those questions and drew a line under it. She handled it really well and can enjoy the rest of her time in camp now.”
Carina added: “She went in there to have the experience. The fact that she has slept outside, encountered snakes and scorpions and all these different things and hasn’t crumbled, I am incredibly proud and she should be incredibly proud too.”
