Jimmy Carr, 53, reveals beloved mother Nora’s tragic death triggered his ‘unhealthy relationship’ with food and was the ‘catalyst’ in 25-year estrangement from his father

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Jimmy Carr has shared that his mother’s passing led to difficult eating habits, and a fear of a similar fate fuels his intense focus on diet and weight loss.

The 53-year-old comedian was very close to his mother, Nora, who sadly died from pancreatitis at the young age of 57 in 2001. He has previously shared that he still feels the pain of losing her.

On the Rosebud podcast with Gyles Brandreth, Jimmy shared that his mother hadn’t prioritized her own health and was perhaps a bit overweight.

She wasn’t well, became ill, and sadly passed away. That experience has made me very careful about maintaining my health and staying in shape.

I don’t believe I have an eating disorder, but I definitely have a complicated relationship with food.

When asked about his exercise habits, the father of two admitted he probably didn’t work out as much as he’d like. He explained that finding the time was the biggest challenge.

Jimmy explained that the golden rule is to treat others the way you’d like to be treated. He then added there’s also a ‘platinum rule’: treat yourself with the same kindness and respect you’d offer others.

It usually starts with neglecting the basics – I’m not getting enough sleep, I’m not exercising, and I’m not eating well. It’s easy to fall into a pattern where things just get worse and worse. That’s why self-care is so vital.

Jimmy’s parents, Nora and Patrick – everyone called Patrick “Jim” – emigrated from Limerick, Ireland, and settled in Slough, where they raised Jimmy and his two brothers.

The comedian hasn’t spoken to his father for 25 years, since his mother, Nora, passed away. He mentioned this in November 2021.

The television personality, who shares two children with his wife, Karoline Copping, also revealed that his mother’s passing significantly changed his relationship with his father.

I believe that was the turning point. Looking back, though, we often discuss the challenges of being a teenager and going through puberty.

There’s a significant developmental stage many people experience around ages 24-25 – the full maturation of the frontal lobe. It’s a topic that’s not often discussed, but I believe we’ll be hearing more about it in the future.

I went through a big shift around that age, both physically and internally. I really started to become myself, and that’s when my faith in God disappeared. A lot changed during those years, and part of it was a disagreement with someone, but I’m okay with that.

Now that he’s a father, Jimmy is committed to raising his children in a way that differs from his own upbringing. He believes it’s not necessarily about limiting screen time for kids, but more about parents modeling healthy screen habits themselves – being engaged and present instead of constantly on devices.

‘It’s about being present when you’re there with them, playing with them.

Comedian Jimmy Carr recently shared on the Parenting Hell podcast that he hasn’t spoken to his father in over two decades. He explained that while a line about his parents being ‘dead to him’ sounds harsh, it reflects his feelings accurately, stating he simply doesn’t want his father in his life.

In his memoir, Before & Laughter, comedian Jimmy Carr jokes that despite appearing sophisticated, he comes from humble beginnings. He describes his parents as immigrants from Limerick who moved to Slough, playfully suggesting they had a preference for less-than-glamorous towns.

Jim was very upset by a specific part of the text and threatened legal action against his son, claiming it damaged his reputation. He also demanded that the Limerick council take back the ‘Certificate of Irish Heritage’ they awarded his son in 2013, unless a public apology was issued.

Comedian Jimmy recently shared that he’s still grieving the loss of his mother, admitting he hasn’t fully come to terms with her death.

In an interview on The Development podcast with David McIntosh, he shared that he lost a loved one around the age of 26 and still feels the pain of that loss. He described grief as a natural consequence of having loved someone deeply.

My mother and I were incredibly close, and the thought of losing her was devastating. Surprisingly, after she was gone, a strange sense of liberation emerged – a feeling of letting go and not caring what others think.

Jimmy compared death to the time before birth, suggesting they are essentially the same thing – a state of non-existence.

He explained that facing our own mortality can be strangely comforting. We experience life, and that’s fortunate, because existence isn’t endless. As Mark Twain pointed out, we didn’t suffer from not existing for billions of years before we were born, and that shouldn’t bother us now.

‘This is why life is so special, it’s this little shaft of light in the middle of it all. 

Losing a parent is incredibly difficult. Grief is a natural part of loss, but we often don’t discuss it openly, and society tends to discourage expressing it.

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2025-12-12 14:49