Gloria Hunniford, 85, Reflects on Grief and Finding Love 15 Months After Husband’s Death

Loose Women’s Gloria Hunniford has opened up her ‘painful’ grief, 15 months after the tragic death of beloved husband Stephen Way.

The veteran broadcaster, 85, wed the businessman in 1998, and said following his passing in August 2024 that he would leave ‘the most enormous void, not only in my life, but our entire family’. 

Gloria, whose daughter Caron Keating also passed away from cancer in 2004 aged just 41, spoke about the difficulty of navigating widowhood in a new interview. 

‘You have to do a head job every so often, it’s painful. You have to carve out a new type of life, don’t you? It’s quite hard really, at the beginning, and then slowly, slowly you sort of get into a different rhythm and a different situation’. 

‘Stephen and I had 30 years together. Some people never get 30 years of happiness, but I did, so as much as he is a huge loss, I am very grateful that I had that time with him. I was very lucky and have been very lucky in my life’. 

But when it comes to the prospect of finding love again, Gloria said the idea could not be further from her mind. 

Loose Women ‘s Gloria Hunniford has opened up her ‘painful’ grief, 15 months after the tragic death of beloved husband Stephen Way

The veteran broadcaster, 85, said following his passing in August 2024 that he would leave ‘the most enormous void, not only in my life, but our entire family’ (pictured 1998)

Gloria, whose daughter Caron Keating (pictured 2003) also passed away from cancer in 2004 aged just 41, spoke about the difficulty of navigating widowhood

She told The Mirror: ‘It’s not even in my head. It’s too raw yet. It’s only been just over a year, But I like having male friends who I’ve had for decades, I like talking to them’. 

Gloria gushed over one pal in particular, Sir Cliff Richard, 85, who she had known for 55-years, describing him as ‘wonderful’ and ‘incredibly loyal’.

Following Stephen’s death a family statement said: ‘It is with huge sadness and very heavy hearts that we share the passing of Stephen Way, Gloria’s beloved husband, who lost his battle yesterday afternoon.

‘Stephen had been heroically fighting his illness… but always with great tenacity and a positive spirit.’

Meanwhile Gloria added: ‘Stephen was a gentleman and a giant of a man, who will leave the most enormous void not only in my life, but our entire family.

‘He was an incredibly kind, generous, and caring man, with a delightfully quirky sense of humour, which remained till the end. 

‘We had a tremendously happy 25-year marriage and did so many beautiful and exciting things together that I will always cherish.’

Stephen was described as a ‘wonderful husband, father and grandfather’ and Gloria added: ‘It’s a great shock and words cannot express my sadness at this time.

When it comes to the prospect of finding love again, Gloria said the idea could not be further from her mind 

‘It’s not even in my head. It’s too raw yet. It’s only been just over a year, But I like having male friends who I’ve had for decades, I like talking to them’ (pictured 2024) 

Gloria gushed over one pal in particular, Sir Cliff Richard, 85, who she had known for 55-years, describing him as ‘wonderful’ and ‘incredibly loyal’ (pictured 2006)

‘A bright shining light has dimmed, and he shall be missed at every turn.’

It was Stephen who broke the news of the death of Gloria’s former husband Don Keating as she came off stage after hosting a TV chat show in 1997, she revealed that year.

Don was found dead by a friend at his kitchen table, with his dinner and a glass of wine in front of him.

Gloria and Stephen started dating, he owned an hairdressing salon in New Bond Street, Mayfair.

They met at an event in London before getting married in Kent in 1998, one year after first husband’s death.

She previously revealed that Stephen proposed while they were on holiday in Barbados after she was struggling in a pool at their villa having never learnt to swim as a child.