John Bishop’s mother, Kathy, sadly passed away at the age of 80.
The heartbroken comedian, 56, took to Instagram to announce the devastating news and pay tribute to his loving mother on Thursday.
John revealed how Kathy had been singing and dancing on her Mother Goose show just a few weeks earlier and shared footage of her having a wonderful time as she watched her son on stage. No cause of death was given.
Alongside a lovely snapshot of the couple, he wrote: “Two weeks ago my mum came to see me at Mother Goose in Liverpool and joined in the singing at the end like I knew she would.”
“This morning we said goodbye to her and we will never hear her sing again.”
RIP: John Bishop, 56, took to Instagram to announce the devastating news and pay tribute to his loving mother on Thursday.
He continued: ‘As a family we are heartbroken. She was a mother, a grandmother and a great grandmother and she loved us all. Next week she would have been married to my dad for 62 years and they had a love and friendship that was beautiful to be around.
“We want to thank all the brilliant staff at Whiston Hospital in ward 3C who could not have done more and provided exceptional care for all of us.”
“Anyone who has lost a parent will understand when I say it’s a pain like no other.”
I will never have another mother, but I will be forever grateful that I was lucky enough to have the one I did. Good night mom, you were our sunshine’.
Fans and celebrity friends rushed to the comment sections to send their condolences to the star.
Alan Carr wrote: “Oh no John, so sorry for your loss” and Richard E Grant posted a series of red heart emojis.
Claudia Winkleman said: ‘Sending so much love xxx’.
And Luther’s Warren Brown commented: “So sorry for your loss mate, thinking of all of you at this difficult time.”
Fond farewell: John revealed how Kathy had been singing and dancing on his Mother Goose show just a few weeks earlier and shared footage of her having a blast watching her son onstage
It comes after John and Downton actor Hugh Bonneville are shocked to discover a surprising family link when they appear together on a TV show about ancestry.
The stars, who first became friends during lockdown after meeting by chance at a vaccination centre, discovered their stories on ITV’s DNA Journey.
The couple discovers on the show that Hugh’s ancestor, John Freeman, worked a short distance from John’s relative, Andrew Keegan.
John ran a family bakery while Andrew ran a music store on Capel Street, Dublin.
The men were union members and, according to the show, both participated in a march in support of workers’ rights in the 1840s.
Dedicated: John has shared a large number of snaps of his mother on social media
Family: John pictured with his mother Kathy, father and niece
After hearing the bomb, John said: ‘I thought it was a coincidence that you were at the vaccination centre.
“To find out that generations before, our ancestors worked within 100 feet of each other…then to find out they were on a march together the same day the road for Irish independence discussions began…astonishing” .
Hugh, 59, added: ‘That’s pretty creepy. They are the sliding doors of destiny and time.
“Not only are we friends, but I would like to think that Andrew and John were friends in the past.”
The show also sees the men discover more fascinating family information, including about John’s great-great-grandfather, Patrick Reardon.
Patrick started a business in the salt industry, traveling from Ireland to Liverpool.
Heartfelt tribute: Alongside a lovely snapshot of the couple, he wrote: “Two weeks ago my mum came to see me at Mother Goose in Liverpool and joined in the singing at the end like she knew she would.”
Condolences: Celebrity fans and friends rushed to the comment sections to send their condolences to the star.
Meanwhile, Hugh’s ancestor Richard Bonniwell joined in improving working conditions for sailors in the 1820s after working as a naval architect.
It comes after the two stars shared selfies on their respective social media accounts in 2021 after their surprise meeting at Midhurst Riverbank Medical Center.
Hugh volunteered at his local center to help fight the coronavirus during the pandemic.
Friends – Comes after John and Downton actor Hugh Bonneville are shocked to discover a surprising family bond when they appear together on an ancestral TV show.
Alongside a snap of him and Hugh, John wrote: ‘You know you’ve picked a fancy hub when Hugh Bonneville volunteers here!
Meanwhile, Hugh shared a similar snapshot, writing: ‘My turn to ask for a selfie. @nobleandstace and I had to up our Welcome game when the one and only @johnbish100 arrived for his vaccination #MidhurstPharmacy #vaccination.’
Hugh wore a high-visibility yellow jacket and face mask, which he pulled down for a photo opportunity with John, who was standing socially distanced.