Laura Jackson has shared a deeply emotional tribute following the death of her father, David, after his battle with cancer. The TV presenter, best known for fronting Take Me Out: The Gossip on ITV2 and BBC One’s Ready or Not, took to Instagram to honour her late dad, revealing he had been suffering from Mesothelioma – a rare and aggressive form of cancer affecting the lining of the body’s internal organs.

In a raw and touching post, the 39-year-old wrote: “My darling dad. The last five months have been the hardest of my entire life.
I’ve felt like an iceberg trying to hold it all together on the surface, trying to carry on through life but beneath the surface has sat the depth of my grief, waiting for the moment it would finally break through – but I don’t think I even believed the moment would actually come.”

The presenter spoke candidly about witnessing her father’s final moments, adding: “We watched you die on Saturday night – I will never not unsee you leaving us – they said it would be peaceful but all I have is pain, loss and such sadness. There is nothing peaceful about the fact you are not here, Dad.”

Reflecting on her father’s courage during his illness, Laura continued: “The last few weeks were so hard when the Mesothelioma tried to take charge. You were so brave and so strong. I feel so sad, I really don’t know how to live my life without you.
Things will never be the same again. I love you so much, I miss you so, so much already. xxxxxxx fantastico xxxxxxxx.”

Laura ended her tribute with the moving words: “It’s been a privilege to be your daughter.”

The heartfelt post quickly gained messages of support from fans and celebrity friends alike. Big Brother presenter AJ Odudu commented: “Oh Laura I’m so deeply sorry.”

Another follower shared: “I am so sorry Laura, he sounded like an incredible man. Sending you love and strength.” A third added: “So sorry for your loss. We are never the same without our fathers.”

Laura started out her career hosting the T4 music show Freshly Squeezed alongside Nick Grimshaw, and went on to present on Take Me Out: The Gossip on ITV2, This Morning on ITV, The Clothes Show on BBC One and Big Brother’s Little Brother on Channel 4.

In 2018, she hosted Ready or Not on BBC One.