GB News star Eamonn Holmes has shared an emotional tribute to fellow broadcaster James Whale after the 74-year-old died on Sunday.
In his first appearance on the People’s Channel since Whale’s death was confirmed yesterday, Eamonn revealed that their friendship spanned nearly four decades, beginning in the mid-1980s.
Eamonn said: “In the case of my friend James Whale, he passed away yesterday at the age of 74, and what a character he was. I’ve known him since the mid-80s, actually.
“He was a shock jock on TV, and the first time I interviewed him, he was shaking he was so nervous with everybody. We became very, very, very good friends.
“I last saw him a couple of weeks ago, and it’s very sad. You don’t really know what to say, but I know he was prepared for death. He was prepared.
“And Nadine, his wife, what an amazing woman. What an absolutely amazing woman. She looked after James, and she took care of his pain and everything, which is now gone.
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“But her pain is ahead, because she’s the one left behind now. And they were very, very close.
“So we’re adding our condolences to you and to the whole family. And mate, we’ll miss you.”
Whale, who has been a major broadcaster since the 1970s, died following a lengthy struggle with stage four kidney cancer that had metastasised to his brain, spine and lungs.
The 74-year-old had recently entered a hospice facility in Kent for palliative care after doctors informed him he had only weeks to live.
The veteran broadcaster’s cancer journey began with an initial kidney cancer diagnosis in 2000, from which he achieved remission following treatment.
However, the disease returned with devastating effect in 2020, when medical examinations revealed it had spread throughout his body.
His death marks the end of a distinguished five-decade career in broadcasting.
In his final published words, Whale expressed remarkable serenity about his circumstances.
Writing for the Daily Express on Monday, he revealed feeling unexpectedly positive since entering hospice care. “I began to feel better immediately. More positive. I feel at peace here, even though I’m not a religious person,” he wrote.
The broadcaster displayed acceptance of his fate, stating: “I know I’ve reached the end of my life but I’m quite sanguine about it.
“Despite everything, I’m happy to go now and a lot of that is due to the people who work here, because they make dying as peaceful and pain-free as possible.”