Vinnie Jones captivated Good Morning Britain viewers on Monday morning as he gave his first TV interview since the death of his beloved wife Tanya in July. Tanya was the love of Vinnie's life and he was understandably distraught as he spoke candidly about her passing to hosts Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid. Tanya battled cancer for six years after being diagnosed with melanoma in 2013, and Vinnie opened up about her incredible bravery in the face of the disease, as well as the moment he lost his long-term partner.
Vinnie Jones appeared on Good Morning Britain to talk about the devastating loss of his wife
The former footballer, 54, recounted a moment on the day of Tanya's death, just a few hours after she passed away. Vinnie said he was sitting in the garden that evening when everyone else had gone to bed, and he was thinking about the daunting prospect of planning his wife's funeral. Explaining that he and Tanya had a little ritual they would perform every day when he left the house, when Tanya would blow Vinnie and kiss and throw it to him, Vinnie said he was walking into his home when he saw a bright light in the sky. After looking at it for three to four minutes, he asked, 'Is that you, babe?' before blowing a kiss and throwing it in the direction of the light. He then told Piers and Susanna that the light started to tremble and move before shooting off into the sky and disappearing. "And that was my moment I knew she was gone," he said. "That is me knowing she is waiting for me. In the spectrum of the universe. Our time here is minute, so it's not a problem for me. I know I'll see her again."
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Vinnie and Tanya had been married since 1994
Vinnie's interview had a profound effect not just on viewers but on Piers and Susanna. "We've never had a reaction like this to any interview we've ever had," Piers told the star, as they read out tweets from fans of the show. With tears in her eyes, Susanne read out one message that said Vinnie's story "makes you want to kiss your partner goodbye as they go to work and never let them go". Another said Vinnie's interview shows "what love, marriage and commitment is all about".