How Stephen Way supported Gloria Hunniford during death of her daughter Caron Keating and struggles through covid pandemic

Stephen Way was the rock by Gloria Hunniford's side during her darkest time following the death of her daughter Caron Keating. 

The wealthy businessman would do 'everything' to make the veteran broadcaster's life smoother when she was under extreme stress, believing 'that the person in most need at a particular time has to have priority'.

After the funeral of Gloria's beloved daughter in 2004, who died aged 41 of breast cancer after a seven year private battle against the disease, it was the 'kind and generous' Stephen who clutched on to Gloria's hand in a loving show of emotional support as they left the church. 

Gloria, 84, wed the businessman in 1998, and today she said Stephen would leave 'the most enormous void, not only in my life, but our entire family' following his death, aged 85. 

She said: 'Stephen was a gentleman and a giant of a man, who will leave the most enormous void not only in my life, but our entire family.

'He was an incredibly kind, generous, and caring man, with a delightfully quirky sense of humour, which remained till the end. 

'We had a tremendously happy 25-year marriage and did so many beautiful and exciting things together that I will always cherish.'

Gloria opened up about her marriage to Stephen in an interview with Yours magazine in 2022 ahead of the couple celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary. 

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She said: 'Love isn't about immediate attraction or the sex life. It's about finding someone who will support you and someone you'll still want to be around 25 years later.' 

During the covid pandemic, the couple isolated at their home in Kent as they had to be 'careful' with Gloria pre-diabetic and her husband still recovering after a 'few health issues' the previous year. 

They would lie in bed and watch the news in the mornings, and later on go into their grandchildren's treehouse for a gin and tonic. 

Speaking to the Express at the time, she said: 'For the first week I was like a caged animal. I do understand why we have to be in lockdown but I have been used to life-long freedom.

'However this situation has forced me to be at home and I have slowed down. I don't get up nearly as early and we lie in bed and watch the news, I potter about in the garden and then I think, 'My goodness, it's 3pm already'. The days are flying by.' 

They married in St Peter's church in Hever, Kent, in September 1998, had their reception at Hever castle and spent their honeymoon in Italy. A horse-drawn carriage took the bride to church, James Galway played Danny Boy and Cliff Richard read the lesson. 

Gloria told the Mail in 2003 how Stephen had told her he had fallen 'head over heels in love' with her and that he would 'like to build a brick wall around her and keep her safe'.

'There was nothing sexual for a year,' she said at the time. 'I always I knew I fancied him but I wasn't really looking for a sexual relationship and certainly not marriage.

'We were just friends and he kept saying: 'When are we going to get it together?'' Then I was working in Dublin, Stephen came over and it happened.'

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In a statement today, Stephen's family confirmed his death as they paid tribute to him, saying: 'It is with huge sadness and very heavy hearts that we share the passing of Stephen Way, Gloria's beloved husband, who lost his battle yesterday afternoon.

'Stephen had been heroically fighting his illness... but always with great tenacity and a positive spirit.'

Stephen was described as a 'wonderful husband, father and grandfather' and Hunniford added: 'It's a great shock and words cannot express my sadness at this time.

'A bright shining light has dimmed, and he shall be missed at every turn.'

It was Stephen who broke the news of the death of Gloria's former husband Don Keating as she came off stage after hosting a TV chat show in 1997, she revealed that year.

Mr Keating was found dead by a friend at his kitchen table, with his dinner and a glass of wine in front of him.

When Gloria and Stephen started dating, he owned an hairdressing salon in New Bond Street, Mayfair.

Gloria and Stephen met at an event in London before getting married in Kent in 1998, one year after Mr Keating's death.

She previously revealed that Stephen proposed while they were on holiday in Barbados after she was struggling in a pool at their villa having never learnt to swim as a child.

Gloria told the Belfast Telegraph in 2017: 'I remember larking about when I was six or seven and falling into the water fully clothed and coming up for the third time and thinking I was going to die.

'Then, when Stephen and I were in Barbados, we had a pool to ourselves and it was very hot, and Stephen was bantering me to get in.

'I managed a few strokes then went plop, straight down. Stephen said no-one had ever clung to him so tightly. It was the first time he saw me looking vulnerable, so he proposed.'

In May last year, Stephen revealed he had been left partially blind after losing the sight in his right eye when he suffered a second stroke.

He said at the time that he 'woke up in the morning and there was blood in the eye and that was it', adding that he was 'coping OK with it all - it's fine but just disorientating'.