Sheila Hancock admits she's 'overwhelmed' with loneliness after 'gaping loss' of famous husband

Dame Sheila Hancock has revealed that she still chats to her late husbandJohn Thaw, who died in 2002 at the age of 60. Inspector Morse starJohn, who passed away after he was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer, was married to The Rag Trade star Sheila for 28 years before his death.

In a recent admission, Dame Sheila discussed her loneliness and how it affects her. Her friends and family members have been a 'great comfort' for her but they 'eventually go home', leaving her on her own. "I am left with the gaping loss of the person who has left forever, with whom I could be totally honest and myself, warts and all," she said.

"Who is there now to wipe my tears and make me laugh?"

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Writing in Prospect magazine, Dame Sheila added: "I still talk out loud to my long-departed husband, especially when I watch the news on Channel 4, but our imagined rant about politicians and human idiocy has grown fainter over the years."

Her loneliness was 'terribly difficult' for her to handle, revealing how she can sometimes wake up feeling 'overwhelmed by depression at the thought of a solitary day ahead.'

She continued: "The easiest thing is to turn over and stay in bed, but an effort must be made when one least feels like it, to get up and be active, or one descends even deeper into the Slough of Despond."

The Laurence Olivier award winner thought about getting a cat but changed her mind after worrying about whether it would 'outlive' her.

Earlier this year, The Sixth Commandment star appeared on Katherine Ryan's What's My Age Again? podcast and discussed ageing.

"Strangely enough, reaching 90 was extraordinary because right up until then, I honestly had never thought I was old. I really hadn't," she said.

"I did a film where I climbed a mountain when I was 85 and I didn't think anything of it. I went to the gym and did a bit of extra work, but I've never thought of it."

Although she doesn't feel old, she noticed how other people started treating her differently because of it.

"When I was 90, everybody started saying, 'do you still drive? Let me help you up.' They suddenly start treating you as old and you find you're acting old if you're not careful," Dame Sheila explained.

"It's quite useful because it means that you can, for instance if you're bored or if I have had enough of this interview, I can actually say, 'well, I'm very bored with this, I'm leaving,' and everybody will say, 'oh, poor old thing. She's gone a bit senile'. It's a wonderful excuse for bad behaviour."

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