‘I thought I might never see her again’: Iain Lee enjoys socially-distanced reunion with his vulnerable mother Linda for the first time in lockdown
Iain Lee met up with his mother Linda for the first time since the UK entered lockdown in late March.
The broadcaster, 47, took to Twitter to share a sweet photo of him and his beloved parent, 69, who suffers from multiple sclerosis and lives in a care home, enjoying a socially-distanced reunion on Thursday amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Admitting ‘I thought I night never see my mum again’, the presenter appeared over the moon to be in the company of his mum, just days after revealing he was feeling ‘low’ following his shock sacking from talkRADIO.
‘I thought I might never see her again’: Iain Lee, 47, met up with his mum Linda, 69, on Thursday for the first time since the UK entered lockdown in late March
The TV and radio star proved safety comes first as he sported a protective face mask and stood a few feet away from Linda.
A delighted Iain shared: ‘When corona virus kicked off, I thought I might never see my mum again.
‘Approaching 70, lives in a care home, immunocompromised. So I can’t even begin to tell you how happy this made me today.’ (sic)
The writer previously revealed he used his fee money from his appearance on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! in 2017 to pay for his mother’s medical bills for round-the-clock attention, which came up to £350,000 in eight years.
Challenging: The 47-year-old broadcaster’s mother, 69, suffers from multiple sclerosis and lives in a care home (Iain pictured in 2018)
Tough times: The presenter appeared over the moon to be in the company of his mum, just days after revealing he was feeling ‘low’ following his shock sacking from talkRADIO
She falls within the at risk category of those more vulnerable to COVID-19 due to her condition.
Iain first detailed Linda’s severe MS battle on his talkRADIO in 2016, stating: ‘She can’t stand or feed herself, she is completely dependent on people to clean her.
‘She had £100,000 savings, not because she was rich, because she never spent a penny. She paid off her mortgage she has to pay. So the house sold for £250,000 and so she had £350,000 in her bank, my children’s inheritance.
‘Her care is just under £1,500-a-week. Imagine that. So she has burnt through the majority of £350,000 in eight years. You do the maths.’
Multiple sclerosis (known as MS) is a condition in which the immune system attacks the body and causes nerve damage to the brain and spinal cord.
Their meeting certainly brought him some relief after admitted being ousted from his talkRADIO show ‘knocked him for six’, and has ‘no idea’ why station bosses came to their decision.
The Late Night Alternative star told how he is ‘gutted and feeling really low’ after being sacked earlier this month when his contract was not renewed after four years of hosting the late-night programme.
Speaking on The Jeremy Vine Show, he described himself as ‘a multi award winning broadcaster’ before urging other radio stations to recruit him for freelance work.
‘It does feel odd, I’m gutted’: Iain announced his departure from talkRADIO following four years
Iain told Jeremy: ‘It does feel odd. I know in the scheme of things a guy losing a radio show on a right wing radio station is not big news but I’m gutted…
‘I loved that show and I felt we made something very special and very unique. I have no idea why they got rid of a multi-award winning broadcaster. It’s kind of knocked me for six, it’s knocked my confidence for six.’
‘I am really low. I’m doing things that I know are good for me. I’m meditating, I’m playing with my cats and we’ll see where it goes but it’s not great.’
Farewell: The narrator confirmed via social media that his on the station has come to an end, after talkRADIO chose not to offer him a new contract