Phil Spencer was ‘grateful’ for everyone’s support (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
Phil Spencer has admitted he was ‘blown away’ by the support from fans after his parents’ death.
The Location, Location, Location star was rocked last summer when his dad Richard, 89, and mum Anne, 82, both died in a tragic car crash.
The farmer couple – who had been together for over 60 years – were going for lunch with their carer at a nearby pub when the vehicle toppled over a bridge into a shallow river on their Littlebourne property and flipped upside down.
Days later Phil, who presents the Channel 4 programme with Kirstie Allsopp, opened up about the accident on Instagram in a heartbreaking tribute to his parents.
He was ‘overwhelmed’ by the outpouring of love shown to him by friends, family and fans.
‘I feel a lot of gratitude to people for the thousands of kind, supportive messages I got,’ he told the Daily Mail’s Weekend Magazine, tearing up during the interview. ‘The whole thing was overwhelming, but that blew me away. People were very loving and thoughtful.’
Anne and David Spencer died in a car crash last summer (Picture: Instagram)
He was speaking to the outlet in a joint interview with Kirstie, who praised her friend for the way he handled such a difficult situation.
‘So many people felt linked to Phil. He posted a beautifully written account of what had happened on Instagram, in a very unguarded and honest way.
‘I was full of admiration for the way in which he and the family dealt with the whole thing. He negotiated it without any anger or resentment towards those people who were curious. He told them what happened.’
Kirstie Allsopp has been by her co-star’s side (Picture: Adele Jackman/Channel 4)
Phil explained that his idea behind his statement was to avoid having to explain the tragedy over and over again in person.
Kirstie was among those to pay their own tribute to Richard and Anne on social media, and she told the outlet how special they were.
She added: ‘When I went to the church service for them both, one of my dominant thoughts was that in 50 years’ time I hope there are still people around who are like Phil’s parents.
‘It was a real reminder of those people who are at the heart of their community, who contribute to their local charities, their local church.’
Last month, it a coroner described their death as happening under some of the ‘most tragic’ circumstances she had ever heard.
At Oakwood House in Maidstone days before Christmas Day, area coroner for north-east Kent Sarah Clarke revealed their cause of death.
She said Richard died from a lung injury called aspiration pneumonitis due to near drowning, while his wife died from aspiration pneumonia, a hypoxic-ischaemic brain injury, and near drowning.
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MORE : Phil Spencer’s parents were trapped underwater for 20 minutes after horror crash
He lost both his parents in a car crash last summer.