Strictly Come Dancing professional Kai Widdrington has issued a statement on his Instagram account after learning about the death of Brenda – a charity fundraiser whom he worked closely with recently on the BBC's The One Show.
Brenda had been a recent recipient of the show's One Big Thank You segment, which recognises individuals who have made significant contributions to their community.
Despite battling cancer herself, she had managed to raise an impressive sum of over £170,000 for cancer research.
The One Big Thank You segment is a regular feature on the show, highlighting individuals who have made exceptional contributions to their communities.
Widdrington was one of the stars who went along to meet Brenda, with the film airing during last week's show, and he shared his privilege to have met her.
Posting a trio of images and videos on his Instagram account last week, Widdrington praised: “What an incredible privilege it was to meet the amazing Brenda! Her dedication to raising funds for cancer research is truly inspiring.
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“A heartfelt thank you to Brenda, her family and friends for all that you do and for allowing me to be part of your special day.
“Also, a big shoutout to The One Show for the wonderful opportunity and for making the One Big Thank You. Together, we can make a difference!”
Hearing the sad news of her passing, Widdrington quickly took to his Instagram story, where he reposted the main post and said: “I was so sad to hear that the star of our One Show Big Thank You, Brenda has passed away.
“She was an amazing woman and it was genuinely an honour to meet her.
The star paid tribute on his Instagram account
My sincere condolences to her family – Brenda – thanks for all you did for everyone – your legacy will live on, rest well. “ (sic)
Widdrington wasn’t the only one to have been rocked by Brenda’s death, as The One Show hosts Lauren Laverne and JB Gill halted the show on Thursday night to send their condolences.
"Before we introduce you to this week's star, we unfortunately have some sad news to share," Gill began during the broadcast.
Laverne continued with the emotional announcement: "Last week, you may remember when we thanked Brenda, who raised over £170,000 for research into cancer treatment while dealing with her own cancer diagnosis.
“And this week, we heard the sad news that Brenda has died."
The One Show had celebrated her remarkable achievements just last week, making the news of her passing particularly poignant.
The hosts sent well wishes to Brenda's bereaved family during the emotional on-air moment.
The emotional announcement about Brenda's passing demonstrated how the recipients of this recognition often leave lasting impressions on both the show and its viewers.
