Phil Spencer’s parents died in a car crash last month (Picture: Getty/Instagram/Phil Spencer)
Kirstie Allsopp has revealed Phil Spencer’s plans to honour his parents after their sudden and tragic death.
It was revealed on August 19 that Phil’s dad Richard, 89, and mum Anne, 82, died days earlier, when their car veered off the road and into a stream.
The couple – who had been together for over 60 years – were on their way to a pub at the time, with their carer also in the car, who survived by was injured.
Kirstie Allsopp, 52, who co-presents Channel 4 property show Location, Location, Location, with Phil, 53, has opened up on how the rest of the Spencer family are coping following their heartbreak.
Speaking on an episode of BBC’s Newscast podcast this weekend, she began: ‘(Phil’s) got a lovely, lovely family and they’re very, very close and they’re all together.
‘In fact, his sister was married yesterday, which they went ahead with and today they’re all going to the pub for lunch. The same pub that his parents were on the way to when they died.’
The property expert has been trying to take ‘comfort’ in knowing the couple of over 60 years went together (Picture: PA)
Kirstie Allsopp shared Phil’s plans to honour his late mum and dad (Picture: Fiona Murray)
She added: ‘He’s very stoical and pragmatic, and he feels very strongly that it was the right thing that his parents went together.’
Kirstie was one of the first to publicly pay tribute to Richard and Anne after they died.
Sharing a sweet snap of them to Instagram, the TV personality wrote: ‘This lovely photograph, recently taken at their home in Kent, is of Anne & Richard Spencer, I am desperately sad to have to say that they were both killed yesterday in a car accident near their home.
‘They were farmers, animal lovers & devoted parents to Robert, Caryn, Helen & Philip and adored their 8 Grandchildren, the only blessing is that they died together, so will never have to mourn the loss of each other.
‘I suspect many of you may want to join me in sending so much love to Phil and all his family. Please keep them in your thoughts & prayers, Thank you.’
After taking some time to process the horrific events, Phil himself spoke out and revealed devastating details of how his parents died.
Richard and Anne were killed when their car veered off the road and into a stream (Picture: Instagram)
The property expert’s brother desperately tried to save his mum and dad by cutting them out of their car with a penknife.
Phil also explained that he is trying to take ‘comfort’ in knowing that they died together.
‘As a family we are all trying to hold onto the fact Mum and Dad went together and that neither will ever have to mourn the loss of the other one. Which is a blessing in itself,’ he shared.
‘Although they were both on extremely good form in the days before (hence the sudden idea to go out to lunch), Mum’s Parkinson’s and Dad’s Dementia had been worsening and the long-term future was set to be a challenge.
‘So much so that Mum said to me only a week ago that she had resigned to thinking “now it looks like we will probably go together”. And so they did.
‘That was what God had planned for them – and it was a good plan.’
Detailing exactly what happened, he went on: ‘The car, going very slowly, toppled over a bridge on the farm drive, upside down into the river. There were no physical injuries and I very much doubt they would have even fought it – they would have held hands under the water and quietly slipped away.
The Channel 4 presenter broke his silence a few days after the tragedy, saying he was ‘shocked beyond all belief’ (Picture: Instagram)
‘Their carer was in the car and managed to climb out of a back window so the alarm was raised quite quickly.
‘As many farmers do – my brother had a penknife and so was able to cut the seat belts – he pulled them out of the river but they never regained consciousness.
‘Although desperately sad and shocked beyond all belief – all family are clear that if there can ever be such a thing as having a “good end” – this was it.’
Phil concluded: ‘It feels horrendous right now, but after almost 60 years of marriage – to die together on the farm they so loved will, I know, be a comfort in the future.
‘Mum and Dad are together which is precisely where they would have wanted to be. ❤️’
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Richard, 89, and Anne, 82, were killed when their car veered off the road and into a stream.
