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Gloria Hunniford: 'Caron made us believe she was going to live'

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Gloria Hunniford has given an emotional interview on the ninth anniversary of her daughter's death. 

"It seems really odd now for me to look back and think that she was going to make it," Gloria said of former Blue Peter presenter Caron Keating, who died after a seven-year battle with breast cancer. 

"Because she made us believe that. Even when she was being driven home, I can remember being so excited. Nervous and excited at the same time."

© Photo: Getty Images

The 73-year-old breaks down in tears as she recalls her daughter's final days during the interview with Piers Morgan, which airs on Friday night. 

"Getting the bed ready and trying to get food that might appeal to her, but thinking to myself, 'She's coming home. And she's going to be home. She's going to be in Cornwall, where her house was, and we'll have her for the whole summer'.

"The former Songs of Praise host reveals how her daughter, who died aged 41, passed away just eight hours after she brought her home to her husband Russell Lindsay. 

"Eight hours. You can't believe that, can you? They got into bed and… the only person that Caron would let near her in terms of undressing, was Russell, her husband. And eventually Russ said: 'You can come in.' And so I got to kiss her goodnight at that point. And sadly she lost that battle at a quarter past six that evening."

© Photo: ITV

Russell, who has two sons with Caron, also appears on the show and speaks of his mother-in-law Gloria's agony at the loss of her daughter. 

"Mum was just in the depths of despair for so long. I remember talking with her one day and she said, 'I will never ever laugh or smile again.' I said to her, 'You do have two other children, and we need you.'

"Gloria and Russell also spoke about the fact that he married weather girl Sally Meen just two years after Caron's death and Gloria addresses rumours that she refused to attend the wedding. 

"Russ and I agreed that it would be very difficult for both of us, after all that we had been through. We're very close, he's like a son to me. 

"It wasn't… that I refused to go to the wedding, it was never on the cards. We had our own private family wedding dinner with Russ, Sally and the children. 

"Besides speaking candidly about her personal life, Gloria also reveals how she was put on a 'death list' by terrorists after she made a programme about the Army.

The Northern Irish small screen star told Piers, "We used to do a programme for BFBS in Germany, Sean Rafferty and myself. We used to go to meet the Rear Party in Germany. 

"But we were called to the Brigadier's Home and he said, 'By the way, I have to tell you both of you have been placed on a death list".

"And we looked at each other and said, 'Do you know what, we've been doing this now for 11 years, so we might as well just carry on'. So we carried on."