Des O'Connor's heartbroken family are still trying to come to terms with his death less than a week on. Now his daughter Kristina has broken her silence and paid a loving tribute to her late father. Taking to social media, singer Kristina began: "It is impossible for me to adequately explain how heartbroken I am, but I wanted to say something about the passing of my dad.
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"I feel very grateful that we were able to spend some of his last moments together (covid-safely), just the two of us, and to say what we needed to say to one another. I told him about the deep feeling of pride in my belly whenever somebody points out how similar we are, both as performers and people.
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"He told me that I was going to make him cry if I carried on talking like that (as he dabbed at his eye). The other things we said were just for us."
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She continued: "It wasn't always easy to share my Dad with the rest of the world. Sometimes I just wanted him all to myself. But, after witnessing such an overwhelming outpouring of love and warmth in tributes, being able to share him now feels, itself, like one more gift. There is so much more that I want to say, but maybe I can't find the words.
Kristina shared a loving tribute to her late father
"But thank you all for sharing your thoughts, your condolences, and your favourite moments from his career. I am discovering old clips and photos that I've never seen before and it brings me comfort. Even now, the saddest I have ever felt, Daddy can still make me laugh. Thank you."
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Entertainer Des passed away on 14 November at the age of 88 following a fall at his home in Buckinghamshire.
He was married four times, and has described the end of his first three relationships as casualties of his obsession with work.
Des pictured with wife Jodie and their son, Adam
In 2007, he married long-term girlfriend Jodie Brooke Wilson, who was 37 years his junior and gave birth to their son Adam when Des was 72.
The TV star also had four daughters, Karin, TJ, Samantha and Kristina from his previous marriages.
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