Gemma Collins reveals her beloved mum Joan has passed away aged 70
Gemma Collins has shared that her beloved mum Joan has passed away, saying her heart is ‘shattered into a million pieces’.
The 45-year-old reality star confirmed the sad news on Instagram alongside a black and photo of Joan smiling into the camera.
In a lengthy post, Gemma paid tribute to Joan, 70, thanking her for ‘every hug, every sacrifice’.
“My heart is shattered into a million pieces,” she wrote.
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“Today our beautiful mum passed away peacefully surrounded by LOVE.
“Today, every piece of my heart left with you.
“No words will ever be enough to thank you for loving me, guiding me, and being my mum. You gave me life, you gave me strength, and you gave me memories that I will carry for every day I have left.
“The house will never sound the same without you. Your voice, your smile, your little ways, they are woven into every corner of my life. I will miss you more than I could ever put into words.”
The former TOWIE star went on to say that she hoped her mum was ‘finally free from pain’.
“I hope you can walk again, laugh again, and feel light,” she continued.
“I hope you are surrounded by peace and by everyone who has gone before you, watching over us with love.
“Thank you for every hug, every sacrifice, every lesson, and every moment. Thank you for being my mum. It has been the greatest privilege to be your daughter.
“Until we meet again, I will carry your love with me. I will look for you in the sunrise, in the flowers, in the birds singing, and in the quiet moments when I need you most.”
Gemma concluded her heartfelt post by saying she had taken comfort in the fact she had been with her mum today when passed.
“You will be loved forever, missed every single day, and never, ever forgotten,” she said.
Former hairdresser Joan made several appearances on TOWIE and became a firm fan-favourite.
In 2024, she also appeared in an episode of Who Do You Think You Are? alongside her famous daughter, where she found new details about her biological mother, who was also called Joan.
Joan explained that she had grown up thinking her mum had abandoned but learned on the show that she had been forced to give her up following misdiagnosed mental health problems.
Opening up about her early years, Joan said: “You're always left wondering. My foster family was my family. I went into foster care a two weeks old.”
Joan had been hospitalised several times over the last few years.
In 2020, she was rushed into hospital with pneumonia and in 2024 was taken into intensive care after she stopped breathing.
Last month, Gemma announced that Joan had been taken into hospital with pneumonia, telling fans she was so concerned she ‘couldn’t sleep’.
After sharing the tragic news on Instagram, Gemma, who has an older brother Russell, has been flooded with support from her followers and celebrity friends.
Topics: Celebrity, Gemma Collins
Claire Reid