Simon Thomas reveals his ‘shame’ when his young son discovered his alcoholism which saw him drink a bottle of vodka a day in the months after his wife Gemma’s tragic death

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Simon Thomas has shared how ashamed he felt when his son, Ethan, learned about his struggles with alcohol. This came after the heartbreaking loss of his wife, Gemma, to blood cancer.

The 53-year-old TV star and his son, now 15, were devastated when Gemma died in 2017 at age 40, only three days after being diagnosed with a fast-moving form of leukemia.

Simon has often talked about his struggles with alcohol, revealing he used to drink a whole bottle of vodka each day to deal with his sadness.

This week, while on Matt Willis’ podcast, he shared memories of his past struggles with alcohol, including how he used to hide it. He also expressed regret for exposing his son to difficult situations during that time, wishing his child hadn’t witnessed those things.

Simon explained that over time, he started to understand. He realized the reason his father wouldn’t let him taste his Diet Coke wasn’t because of the caffeine.

It wasn’t just that it disrupted Ethan’s bedtime, but my dad had been doing something he shouldn’t have, and I’m left dealing with the consequences. Honestly, processing that – letting go of the shame – has been more difficult for my recovery than stopping drinking itself.

Oh my gosh, you won’t BELIEVE what Simon just shared! He talked about how absolutely devastating it was losing Gemma to cancer – it broke my heart all over again just hearing him talk about it. But then, he said something incredible! He said God brought love back into his life, and now he’s with Derrina! I’m SO happy for him, even though I’ll always remember Gemma. It’s just…amazing to see him finding happiness again.

The couple are now parents to three-year-old daughter Talitha and two-year-old son Theo.  

When Gemma passed away in 2017 at the age of 40, it deeply affected Simon, who described it as a life-altering event. He took time off work to care for his eight-year-old son, which meant ending his employment at Sky.

The speaker described how quickly his wife became ill and how deeply it affected him, even causing him to question his beliefs.

She was diagnosed with a blood cancer on Monday night. Initially, the treatment seemed to be working, and things looked promising. However, her condition quickly deteriorated and became unmanageable.

He went on to explain that she collapsed on Friday, and by 8:30 AM that morning, a doctor told him she wouldn’t survive the day.

Everything in her life was suddenly changing, like a major upheaval. By 5:45 PM on a Friday in November 2017, at the age of 40, with an eight-year-old son and a husband, she was gone.

As soon as I left the hospital, I collapsed to my knees and cried out to God, desperately asking ‘Why?’ I couldn’t understand why my son had to grow up without his mother, and I felt lost and confused, unable to comprehend God’s plan.

In 2024, he publicly thanked his partner, Derrina, who was expecting their child, for supporting him after the loss of Gemma.

He praised her as a wonderful stepmother and said she loves his son Ethan ‘like her own’.

He recently shared with The Sun that, while coping with loss through heavy drinking, he firmly believes his partner, Derrina, is the reason his son, Ethan, is doing well.

She stepped into his life as a motherly presence, and it’s incredibly selfless to love and care for a child who isn’t your own.

Even with all the difficulties he’s faced, Ethan is remarkably fortunate – it feels strange to say it, but he really is.

If you’re struggling with any of these problems, please reach out to a professional for help. You can also call the AA helpline at 0800 917 7650 to connect with local support.

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2026-04-28 01:33