Deidre Sanders has revealed she has spent her first birthday alone in 55 years after the death of her husband Rick.  

The This Morning Agony Aunt, 78, celebrated her birthday on June 9 but revealed it was far from a happy occasion. 

In January Deirdre revealed that Rick, her husband of 55 years, had died just before Christmas aged 77. 

And appearing on Tuesday’s ‘Dear Deidre’ section of This Morning with Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary, one question from viewers in particular hit very close to home for her. 

Faced with a question from ‘Leanne’, who said she was struggling with the loss of her partner, Deirdre began to open up about her own experience with grief. 

Husband: The ITV agony aunt, who was awarded an MBE in the New Year Honours List, revealed in January that her husband Rick (pictured) had died just before Christmas

Husband: The ITV agony aunt, who was awarded an MBE in the New Year Honours List, revealed in January that her husband Rick (pictured) had died just before Christmas

Husband: The ITV agony aunt, who was awarded an MBE in the New Year Honours List, revealed in January that her husband Rick (pictured) had died just before Christmas 

She said: ‘I really sympathise Leanne. You probably know my husband died at the end of last year so I had to face my first birthday by myself this summer.’

Deirdre went on to explain how the usually happy day had ‘completely blasted’ her as she struggled to cope with Rick’s loss.  

She continued: ‘I sort of caught myself by surprise really. I did have some friends coming round but it was the first year in 55 years I’d had to open my presents by myself and I was completely blasted by it. I couldn’t cope at all. 

‘So my advice would be – reach out. I know you may think ‘I just want to look after my feelings by myself’ but I don’t think that’s the way.’

In January Deidre revealed that Rick had passed away after 55 years of marriage but said she was happy she had been able to share a piece of good news with him before his death. 

The TV personality was awarded an MBE in the New Years’ Honours List for her services to charity and mental health. 

She said: ‘A special thing for me, a lot of you know my husband died just before Christmas on 16 December, but this call came through a week before he died, so that was really, really special for me.

‘I went and got the email and I could share it with him and say what had happened.

Close to home: The agony aunt began to open up about her own experience with grief after a question from a viewer

Close to home: The agony aunt began to open up about her own experience with grief after a question from a viewer

Close to home: The agony aunt began to open up about her own experience with grief after a question from a viewer 

Sad: Deidre revealed her struggled during an appearance on This Morning with Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary

Sad: Deidre revealed her struggled during an appearance on This Morning with Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary

Sad: Deidre revealed her struggled during an appearance on This Morning with Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary

‘I was with Rick for 55 years so it was really great. He was always a great tease, so he had to get in a few digs first, but he did the next day tell my daughter and tell me just how proud he was so that was really, extra special.’

Deidre admitted her award would’ve always felt ‘bittersweet’ if she had received the news after his passing.

She added: ‘It was lovely that we could share that, I think had he died before I got that news, it would have always just been a bittersweet thing so it’s lovely that we could share that.’ 

‘I think the important message I want to get across is that we’ve all got problems at some point in our lives.’

Deidre continued: ‘Nobody is immune to problems and it’s OK to ask for help, it’s really important to ask for help. 

‘You do those around you a favour if you ask for help so that’s one of the great messages I’m happy to get across,’ she concluded.

In another This Morning appearance since Rick’s death, she admitted she ‘cries every day’ since his loss and missed him enormously. 

In September last year Deidre announced on This Morning that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer after missing a mammogram appointment. 

In October that year she shared the good news that she had been given the all-clear, telling Alison and Dermot : ‘I’m really good, so I had this teeny, tiny cancer, which was spotted on a mammogram, I’ve had surgery, it’s all out, it’s gone.’ 

Upset: Deidre admitted her award would've always felt 'bittersweet' if she had received the news after his passing

Upset: Deidre admitted her award would've always felt 'bittersweet' if she had received the news after his passing

Upset: Deidre admitted her award would’ve always felt ‘bittersweet’ if she had received the news after his passing

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