ANNE WIDDECOMBE MURDER- THIS YOU DON'T KNOW #annewiddecombe #news #politics

You know, on this show, we don't often talk in that much depth about politics.I bring you the stories of things that I think are important to you if you're visiting London, about your safety, about my safety, you know, so we share things like that, you know, that's what's really important.There was this terribly tragic news that happened just only a day or so ago now, which was, of course, turned out to be, or we originally thought, the sad passing of the former Conservative minister, Anne Widdicombe.And then the story took a very dark turn it appears at the time of recording this that she was murdered someone was arrested then they were let go and it's a bit of a mess to say the least obviously there's been some horrendous things written as you can imagine right chums online predominantly by people who should know better like this Sky News guy Adam Bolton I mean it's just ridiculous but ultimately you know this is what they do and then you have this activist Peter Thatchell just many people just being very disrespectful whether you like the person or not.It's not about that, is it?It's the passing of someone, you know.

And you do look and think, well, you know, it's nothing to do with you.You shouldn't have that opinion.You should be respectful for anybody that's passed away.And, you know, Anne Whittakin was very much a devout Roman Catholic.And I do hope, and God bless to her, that she's now found her eternal heaven.But what's interesting, a lot of people called me yesterday on TV and said, did you know Anne?

You know, because obviously you work in this game.I did.And I wanted to share this particular story that I did not share with anybody else because it just gives you a real reflection of what Anne Widdicombe was truly like.Let me explain.Morning, welcome back.Thank you so much for your time as ever.

Now Anne wouldn't mind us being cheerful.

Believe it or not she had a cracking sense of humour.I met her many many years long before Strictly.She used to come into the studio where I was based at Millbank for Sky News and at that point she was kind of a robust if you like

sort of minister for the Conservative Party.She was definitely known, definitely known for her outright spokenness, you know, but I quite liked her.You know, I just, she was very much my sort of cup of tea because she just said what she thought.When she came in, I would, you know, because, you know, I like to look after people, I would often make her and her assistant a cup of tea and we'd sit by the green room area and she'd ask me who was I. interview and she was, I remember, particularly impressed by the fact that I was interviewing that particular day, Petula Clark.She said, oh, I'm a huge fan.And that's the thing, you never assume somebody like that.

You think, oh, right, really?And so it was really nice.We had this conversation.But as I said, I met her numerous times.

This particular instance, I think, just tells you really the sort of person that she is.That's because she was there to talk about some parliamentary thing.And there was an interview going on in one of the studios.

about there was a lady with her young child and a sort of a horrendous story really of how she got into debt and all of this sort of stuff you know and it was just a very very sad story and it was on in the background as we're talking and then she's watching it a little bit and afterwards the lady came in and she was very distraught because the presenter had been very hard with her and she couldn't believe it and her little boy was upset and you know so I'm offering him drinks and juice and biscuits and would you like a cup of tea?got talking and she basically said this is how she got into financial conflict and it wasn't anything to do with her at all.She'd lost a job, she'd lost her mum, everything escalated, you know the sort of thing.What I found out was, very quietly, without any sort of push or anything, Anne Widdicombe very kindly, behind the scenes, organised for quite a substantial amount of this lady's debts to be cleared, including her TV licence, because she said that was their entertainment, they were living in accommodation.all that sort of stuff.And she said, you know, the child likes to watch TV.

And really that stopped me, you know, in my tracks because I did bring it up with her and I said, it's a very nice gesture that you've done.

And the message back, which kind of got me a little bit, was she said, We all have problems in our life.Just because we present something doesn't necessarily mean that's the story.She said, look, I'm in a position I can afford to do that.I'm not looking for any big waves or anything like that.She said, but if that lady's day is now just going to be a little bit easier and she can face the day, maybe get herself back on track.And I thought, wow, what a nice, you know.

A few days later, a letter turned up at the studio.addressed to Anne and I saved it and gave it.The lady had written to her, she didn't know how to thank her, so she'd written back to the studio.Anne was visibly moved.and that's not the side that everybody knows of Anne Widdicombe.And I just wanted to share that with you because, as I say, for all the nastiness that goes online and the political stanzas and stuff, there are two sides to every story.

We might not agree with them politically, you know, we might not get on with them, but we're all human beings in the end.And I think what's interesting is Anne Widdicombe, she kind of liked the image of the sort of, you know, darkness or whatever she liked, you know what I mean?I think she showed a lot of a softer side once she'd been on Strictly Come Dancing.And what she told me about that was what I thought was fascinating.She said, listen, you just get one turn around in this life.She said, and I thought, shall I do it or not?

She said, I didn't regret it.I can't dance.I'm tone deaf.But she said that Anton Debek was so nice in guiding her through it.And thanks to him, she then went into panto.She embraced life.

Shouldn't we all be taking a lesson like that?But in particular, you truly never know both sides of everybody, do you?I hope you do.mind me sharing that with you.Neil Sean in the heart of London.