Richard E Grant takes emotional tour of Barry Island in late wife's memory

Extra.ie​

3 days ago

Richard E Grant left fans teary eyed this week after he shared an emotional video of his trip to Barry Island, a holiday location made famous by the hit TV show 'Gavin and Stacey'.
The star made the pilgrimage around the Welsh town alongside the show's co-creator Ruth Jones, who is best known for playing Nessa.
The filming location had a particularly poignant meaning for the actor, as he revealed he watched the series alongside his late wife in the final weeks of her life. Richard E Grant left fans teary eyed this week after he hared an emotional video of his trip to Barry Island, a holiday location made famous by the hit TV show Gavin and Stacey. Pic: Richard E. Grant/Instagram
In 2021, Grant announced that his wife Joan Washington had died, just eight months after she was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer.
Now, the Saltburn star has paid tribute to his longtime love, giving fans a brief insight into her final days and a ritual they shared.
It so happens that Jones and Grant are both filming a new drama called 'The Other Bennett Sister', taking a brief break from shooting to visit the iconic location. In 2021, Grant announced that his wife Joan Washington had died, just eight months after she was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. Pic: David M. Benett/Sharing his excitement, Grant exclaimed 'Oh my God' as he stood outside Stacey's family home.
He then made his way across the road to Uncle Bryn's before visiting Marco's Cafe and the beachfront.
'It's really emotional being here,' Grant said, sharing the motivation behind the trip. The star made the pilgrimage around the Welsh town alongside the show's co-creator Ruth Jones, who is best known for playing Nessa. Pic: Richard E. Grant/Instagram
'The last months of my wife's life, we watched Gavin And Stacey on repeat – and it just cheered us up endlessly.'
On 3 September 2021, Grant revealed his wife's death, sharing a video of the pair dancing together to the song 'Only You'.
He said: 'Since her stage four lung cancer diagnosis two days before Christmas, she was accepting, clear sighted, sanguine and totally without self pity.'
He praised the oncology team at the Royal Marsden Hospital, NHS nurses, Price's Mill Surgery and Longfield palliative carers from their 'beyond exemplary' work.
He continued: 'It's been my privilege to be by your side, sharing our last eight months together, enabling us to say everything we possibly wanted and needed to, so that when you asked Olivia and me two weeks ago 'to let me go', we unequivocally said 'yes.''