Loose Women’s Charlene White left her fellow stars in floods of tears during Monday’s show as she paid tribute to her late best friend Darrell, ignoring producers to do so

Charlene White has tearfully opened up about her late friend Darrell on Loose Women, revealing that she powered through with a tribute to him on the show despite straying from the show’s plan.

Charlene’s close friend Darrell passed away last week after suffering with Sarcoma cancer – a rare type of tumour that develops in bone and connective tissue.

Speaking on Loose Women, Charlene revealed that while she could hear a producer in her ear saying that she wasn’t sticking to the running order, she wanted to send a message to Darrell’s wife Amy before the ad break.

“Straight into and I know the director is going to go, ‘That’s not what we planned Charlene!’ I don’t care,” she said. “I know that Darrell’s wife is watching – I love you lots. I know that we’ll get through this together,” she said. “As a family, as friends, as everything because sometimes friend loss can feel like family loss because they are your family.”

Charlene White with her late friend Darrell ( 
Image:
Instagram)

She then revealed that while heading into the break, the show would play the speech Darrell gave when receiving the Inspiration Award at Sarcoma UK’s Shining Star Awards. “He gave an incredible speech where he talked about what is important in the world,” Charlene said. “Going into the break, have a listen to him now.”

The programme then played a clip of Darrell’s speech: “I want people to realise yes Sarcoma is a bad thing, it can be really damaging. Lots of things can be too. When you wake up, think about the people that you really love and love spending time with…It’s all about people and love.”

Speaking earlier in the programme, Charlene opened up about losing Darrell – who was diagnosed with Sarcoma on his 40th birthday. “He popped round to my house for his birthday lunch and he told me all about it,” she said. “He fought through it for four and a half years, I’m incredibly proud of him.”

Kelly Brooks was among the stars left in tears by Charlene’s tribute
Charlene speaking about her grief quickly set off her fellow Loose Women stars, with Judi Love and Kelly Brook wiping away tears as they spoke about their own experiences with the deaths of loved ones.

After speaking about the death of her dad from cancer, Kelly told Charlene: “Whenever anyone goes through it, and I’m so sorry for your loss, it makes me cry because I know what it is and I have so much empathy. It’s the worst and all you can do is be there. So know that we all know what you’re going through.

Last week, Charlene revealed on social media that her heart had “broken into a million pieces” following Darrell’s death. “There will be many of you who will aware of me talking about one of my oldest and best friends Darrell @djoptic and his mission to beat the enemy which is Sarcoma cancer,” she wrote.

“In the early hours of Saturday morning, four and a half years after he was diagnosed, after a week of saying goodbyes to those he loved, sharing stories and banter, he took his final breath surrounded by his wonderful wife @mrsamymcdonald and children Maya and Theo.”

The TV personality went on to say: “He has been my brother since we met at 16 years old, I was the best man at his wedding, and god-mother to his eldest. The nonsense our little crew would get up to was hilarious back in the day, he was there for every milestone. My heart is broken into a million pieces.”