Declan Donnelly has paid a heartbreaking tribute at the funeral of his late brother, Father Dermott Donnelly, who passed away earlier this month at the age of 55.
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In emotional words, the I'm a Celebrity host said: "We can't believe he's gone, we still can't understand why he's gone - but we trust God took him because his talents were needed elsewhere. We as a family will miss him immeasurably." The TV star added that he felt the world was a "worse place" now that his brother had passed.
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He also shared some sweet family memories of growing up with Dermott as a brother, saying: "Dermott and I, being the youngest boys, were confined to the bottom bunks, and on the occasions when my five or six-year-old overactive imagination created monsters under the bed, I would run out of bed, jump into Dermott's bunk and he would calm me down in the middle of the night with stories he invented."
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He also went on to praise his brother's "fantastic sense of humour and fantastic sense of adventure" and ability to fundraise, joking: "You name it, Dermott monetised it."
Dec's TV co-host, Ant McPartlin also had kind words for Dermott, and in a tribute, he wrote: "Father Dermott you were the kindest, wisest man I knew. Rest in peace my friend. You will never be forgotten.
"My thoughts, prayers and love are with your wonderful family. The world has lost a special man."
Dermott passed away at the age of 55
During his life, Dermott was a priest at St Joseph's Church in Stanley, County Durham. At the time of his death, he had recently celebrated 30 years within the Catholic Church.
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Dec and Dermott had a very close relationship, and Dermott was the officiator for Dec's 2015 wedding to Ali Astall.
Dermott's funereal was held in the same venue were Dec and Ali married, the St. Mary's Cathedral in Newcastle.
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