Christine Bleakley has revealed Frank Lampard's "biggest regret" in life was not getting the chance to introduce his wife to his late mother before she passed away. Appearing on Thursday's Loose Women, the 37-year-old opened up about the grief both she and her husband felt after losing a parent.
"Frank lost his mum before me," she explained. "Grief affects you in different ways when you meet someone after." The football star's mother Pat was 58 when she lost her battle with pneumonia, one year before he met Christine in 2009.
The former One Show host continued: "On his wedding day he said in his speech that his biggest regret was that I never got to meet her. I'm not going to cry saying this but he said he saw lots of her in me. He could imagine us going for afternoon tea and shopping together. He got emotional with his speech."
© Photo: Getty ImagesChristine Bleakley has opened up about grief
During the segment, Christine and the panellists were discussing how grief can affect people following Coronation Street's recent storyline which saw Michelle Connor, played by Kym Marsh, tragically miscarry her baby. "'It's definitely altered him as a person," she added. "Strip everything else back and say what is the important thing. All I can wish for is the health of my family."
Christine first met Frank at the Pride Of Britain Awards in 2009 following an introduction by Piers Morgan. The couple tied the knot in a fairytale winter wedding ceremony on 20 December, after a four-year engagement. Frank, 38, already has daughters Luna, 11, and Isla, aged nine from a previous relationship.
© Photo: Getty ImagesShe revealed Frank's "biggest regret" was for her to not meet his mother before she died
Speaking recently about being a stepmother, Christine revealed she feels like she has obtained a "strong sense of motherhood". The presenter admitted: "I think with Frank having two little girls, you've got a strange sense of motherhood without being mummy but it is a wonderful thing. There are no grandchildren in my family at all so I know my mum and dad would secretly love it. They'd never put pressure on us but I know they'd secretly adore it."
