Tanya Jones: What Vinnie Jones said about his wife's death on Piers Morgan's Life Stories (2024)

Vinnie Jones has spoken openly about dealing with the loss of his wife Tanya Jones, who died last year after a six-year battle with cancer.

The former footballer-turned-actor talked candidly on Piers Morgan’s Life Stories, in what the presenter described as “one of the most emotional interviews” the show has had, to date.

Here’s what happened.

Who was Tanya Jones?

Tanya Jones, met Vinnie Jones when they were children, both living in Watford, but they did not get together until later in life.

The couple got married in 1994. She had a daughter, Kaley Terry, from her first marriage to footballer Steve Terry.

Tanya and Vinnie also shared a son, Aaron Elliston Jones.

Tanya Jones: What Vinnie Jones said about his wife's death on Piers Morgan's Life Stories (1)

Jones described his wife as “such a beautiful person”, on the interview with Piers Morgan which aired on ITV on Saturday. He spoke about the “unconditional love” Tanya gave him throughout her life and recalled some of the happy memories.

She died in July 2019 following a battle with cancer, aged 53, at her LA home.

Tanya had a transplant after suffering heart failure following the birth of her daughter. It emerged that the lifelong drugs she had to take following her transplant, might have contributed to her developing cancer which spread.

“When it comes to things like this, women are stronger. Suddenly I’ve gone from the one helping her to the one that needs support. I’m trying to take the world in a bit more and appreciate my family and friends,” Jones has previously said, Metro reported.

What did Vinnie Jones say on the Piers Morgan’s Life Stories?

The episode sees Vinnie Jones talking openly about the grief of dealing with the loss of Tanya and what their relationship had been like, in what Piers called a “cathartic” interview.

Piers Morgan played a clip of Jones the last time he came on his show 10 years ago and said: “Tanya was here, she was in the front row,” as Jones is seen tearing up.

“Some people are meant to be married in this life. There aren’t page three girls or Chippendales that could split us up,” Jones said in the clip from 10 years earlier.

Returning to the present day, Jones talks through the layers of grief that come with a loved one’s death, which he describes as “numbness” and later “anger” and “anxiety”. He revealed that he still talked to Tanya in his mind every day.

Tanya Jones: What Vinnie Jones said about his wife's death on Piers Morgan's Life Stories (2)

When they discovered Tanya had a tumour, Jones told Morgan: “That was the first time I thought we were in a battle, in a battle that ultimately was impossible to win.”

He spoke about going to a cemetery to make arrangements. “You think you’re in a dream, a horror dream, that is the only way to describe it,” he said.

Breaking down in tears, he said of Tanya’s last living moments, seeing her in “horrific” pain and said he “knew it was time to stop” as he watched his wife take her last breath.

“You’re not in real-time,” he said, but added that finally “she was free, painless”.

Asked if would have another relationship down the line, Jones called it “an impossible question to answer”, but added: “There won’t be no more marriage Piers. It was the perfect one and done for me”.

Mental health

The actor, well-known for playing a hardman in movies including Snatch, also spoke openly about mental health, getting support and how it helps to understand your experiences.

“Do you know what I think the biggest problem with it is, especially for fellas, for blokes, is the label, mental health issues, he said.

“We have to get over the fact that this label of mental health is a much broader spectrum. Mental health is a big umbrella and under that, there is a pocket of grief, of losing somebody, there’s divorces, there’s breakups, there’s accidents…”

“But I don’t think, especially British people, look upon getting help the same way. They think they are lying down on the couch with a shrink. It’s not. I do all mine on Zoom and when I finish, I feel like I could just float away.”

What else has Jones said about Tanya?

After the broadcast, Jones shared photos on Instagram of “the last card Tansy ever sent me.”

The front of the card said: “Always believe something wonderful is about to happen.”

The inside of the card said: “To my love Vin,

“Something wonderful happens to me every day… Being with you! You are my morning sunshine the moment I wake.”

In his post, he thanked people for their “kind messages and support”, adding: “with your backing, I will stay strong and help others on this journey of life, good and sad”.

Jones has also released a book called Lost Without You: Loving and Losing Tanya, which he wrote in honour of his wife.

“She was the light of my life,” he told The Sunday Mirror in a previous interview.

How can I watch Piers Morgan’s Life Stories?

Catch up with episode one of the latest series of Piers Morgan’s Life Stories, featuring Vinnie Jones, on ITV Hub. The episode originally aired on ITV on Saturday 5 September.

Future episodes of Piers Morgan’s Life Stories will air on ITV on Sundays at 8pm.

Tanya Jones: What Vinnie Jones said about his wife's death on Piers Morgan's Life Stories (2024)

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