HEARTBROKEN: Strictly Favourite Wakes To Devastating News And Breaks Down Sobbing
Strictly’s Josh Widdicombe Reveals Private Train Station Breakdown After Beloved Cat’s Sudden Death
Strictly Come Dancing’s new host Josh Widdicombe has revealed how the sudden loss of his beloved cat left him sobbing alone inside a train station toilet.
The comedian, who will join Emma Willis and Johannes Radebe on the BBC programme’s revamped presenting team, opened up about the death of his family cat Beryl during an emotional episode of his Parenting Hell podcast.
Beryl died unexpectedly at the age of 11 after passing away overnight. Josh admitted that he and his wife, television producer Rose Hanson, were devastated by the loss.
“It is genuinely upsetting,” the 43-year-old comedian told podcast co-host Rob Beckett.
“She just passed away overnight. It was incredibly upsetting for me and Rose, I’ll be honest. My daughter was very upset, but kids get over it incredibly fast.”
Josh broke down while waiting for train
Shortly after Beryl’s death, Josh was required to travel from Devon to London. While waiting at Exeter St Davids railway station, the reality of what had happened suddenly became overwhelming.
“I couldn’t believe how upset I was,” he admitted. “I didn’t even care about cats when we got them.”
Josh said he attempted to hide his distress from other passengers by going into the station toilets.
“I actually had to get a train to London. And then I was on the platform at Exeter St Davids. I had to go into the toilet because I was crying. Just went into the toilet cubicle and sobbed.”
The presenter’s confession came as he and Rob discussed the deeply personal ways people experience grief. Josh explained that, for him, losing a pet brought a different type of sadness from the complicated emotions that can follow the loss of a person.
“There’s something about an animal dying where if a human dies, you know, which is obviously much worse, just to put that first,” he said.
“There’s a lot more questions when a human dies about what was my relationship like with them, should I have seen them more?”
He continued: “Plus there’s all that stuff back on yourself like, ‘Oh my God, time’s passing.’ You don’t get that with a cat, it’s literally purely about feeling incredibly sad that the cat won’t be there anymore.”
Beryl reunited with her sister
Beryl’s ashes have since been placed in the same urn as her sister Eddie. The family keeps the urn on the mantelpiece at their Devon home.
Josh admitted that he has not yet fully accepted Beryl’s absence and is struggling to form the same bond with the family’s two remaining cats.
“Genuinely, I’m still not really over it,” he said. “I know this sounds mad, but I’m struggling to connect with the other two cats.”
He then made a particularly honest admission about the emotions he is still processing.
“I feel resentful of them. I just wish it hadn’t happened.”
Major new Strictly role awaits
Josh’s emotional disclosure comes just weeks before he begins one of the biggest television roles of his career.
He was considered an unexpected choice when the BBC confirmed that he would become part of Strictly’s new presenting line-up following the departures of long-serving hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman.
Josh will share hosting duties with former The Voice UK presenter Emma Willis and Strictly professional Johannes Radebe when the dancing competition returns in September.
The new series will feature a celebrity cast including Dani Dyer, former professional footballer Shaun Wright-Phillips and Australian singer Delta Goodrem.
Despite preparing for Strictly’s high-profile relaunch, Josh made clear that the loss of Beryl remains painfully present. His admission revealed the private heartbreak he and his family have been carrying while he prepares to step into the ballroom spotlight.
