Simon Rimmer has opened up about how the death of his beloved father Peter has affected him in a candid new interview.
The celebrity chef, 60, admitted he is finding life ‘quite challenging’ as he continues to grieve the loss of his father, who died aged 89 in June.
Speaking on the Sliding Doors podcast, Simon told how his father Peter was his ‘hero’ and shared that the loss has made him ‘question a lot of things’.
He told host Jennie Becker: ‘[Life is] quite challenging at the moment on a few different levels, unfortunately I lost my dad at the end of June and my dad was my hero.
‘Whilst I knew when it happened it was impact me hugely, it really really has, it’s completely knocked me for six.
Devastating: Simon Rimmer (pictured in 2020) has opened up about how the death of his beloved father Peter has affected him in a candid new interview
‘It’s a weird thing almost that kind of feeling and there isn’t such a thing as the head of the family, that’s not what my family is like.
‘But it made me realise that all of us – my sister, cousins and grandkids etc – we always saw my dad as the head of the family and it’s a really strange thing that he’s gone.
‘For no reason, a very patriarchal kind of expression, I feel like there isn’t a head of the family, there’s no such thing as head of the family!
‘My dad wasn’t head of the family he was just the person we all looked up to, but it’s made me question a lot of things.’
The presenter admitted it hasn’t been his best year as he spoke about his father’s death and how the cost of living crisis has affected his work in the food industry.
‘Business is challenging at the moment, we’re in a cost of living crisis, it’s a hard industry, so I wouldn’t say that this has been my favourite year that I’ve ever had,’ he said.
‘But that’s what life throws up at you, it’s challenges all the time. I’m lucky that in the vast majority of the time, my life is pretty decent.’
Simon, who turned 60 in May, also spoke about the lessons he has learnt as he has gotten older, telling how he has come to accept he can’t ‘control’ everything in life.
Loss: The celebrity chef, 60, admitted he is finding life ‘quite challenging’ as he continues to grieve the loss of his father, who died aged 89 in June
He said: ‘You do become less anxious about things when they are not necessarily going your way. One of the big things that you learn is there are certain things you can’t control and you have to accept the fact that that’s it.’
In June, Simon announced the devastating news that his father had died on his Instagram page, sharing a picture of them together.
He wrote alongside the photograph: ‘It’s with great sadness that I have to announce the death of my hero, my dad Peter.’
As Sunday Brunch aired without him as he took time off, Simon then updated fans on how he was processing the loss.
He wrote alongside: ‘I am overwhelmed at all the beautiful messages about my dad. We’re taking it one day at a time and looking out for each other and especially my mum. A windy walk with Cali at New Brighton whilst talking to dad helped x.’
Back in 2018, Simon opened up about his late father being diagnosed with cancer when he was a child.
Speaking to The Mind Map, he described his dad’s health battle as his biggest life challenge so far.
He said: ‘As I look back, to my childhood I remember being nine years old and my dad being diagnosed with cancer and was told he had very little chance of survival – he’s now 84 and still going strong.
‘I remember my dad being a very strong human being and I remember him using that when he was fighting his illness – he had the power of positivity and mental agility and that always stuck with me.’
Elsewhere on the Sliding Doors podcast, Simon spoke about co-hosting Sunday Brunch alongside Tim Lovejoy and how they have become a beloved on-screen partnership.
Team: Simon also spoke about co-hosting Sunday Brunch alongside Tim Lovejoy (pictured on the show in 2019) and how they have become a beloved on-screen partnership
Wow! But he revealed that he wasn’t initially supposed to host the Channel 4 show with Tim, confessing that Andi Peters was first lined up for the job
But he revealed that he wasn’t initially supposed to host the Channel 4 show with Tim, confessing that Andi Peters was first lined up for the job.
He explained: ‘Tim was not the original choice for co-host. When I tell you who the co-host is you will go “you are kidding me”… The original person to be my co-host was Andi Peters, who I love!
‘Andi Peters is great, he’s a fantastic presenter, but it would have been a very different vibe.’
Andi is a regular face on ITV and often makes appearances on Lorraine and This Morning – sometimes even stepping in to co-host the popular morning chat show.
