The funeral of much-loved TV agony aunt Denise Robertson will take place in her home city.
This Morning stars Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford, and previous presenters Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan all paid tribute after Denise died earlier this month at the age of 83 from pancreatic cancer.
A service will be held in Sunderland Minster on Wednesday, conducted by The Rev Canon Provost Sheila Bamber, followed by a private burial.
Phillip said: “I’m sure we’ll give our Denise a fitting send off.”
The popular agony aunt played a crucial part in the popularity of ITV’s This Morning from its first broadcast in 1988.
Her warm, but no-nonsense approach led her to be dubbed the matriarch of the show, and her popularity meant she was offered her own programme in 2000, called Dear Denise.
Denise made several guest appearances on other TV programmes and was a regular fixture on Channel 5′s Big Brother’s Bit On The Side.
She was widowed twice – losing first husband Alex to cancer in 1972 and then Jack to a stroke in 1995. She also lost her 44-year-old stepson John to cancer in 2006. The great-grandmother was awarded an MBE a decade ago and given the freedom of the City of Sunderland.
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