Deborah James' pal heartbreakingly recalls final conversation with the star
One of Dame Deborah James ' friends has opened up about his final conversation with the late star prior to her death last year.
Tony Livesey remembers not being able to put the phone down during what would become their final call as he knew "it would be the last time I would speak to her", after Deborah asked the radio presenter to conduct what would be her final interview over the phone.
Lauren Mahon, who co-hosted the You, Me and the Big C podcast with Deborah, also fondly recalls how Deborah once lovingly "told me off very severely" as they processed the death of one of their original co-hosts in 2018.
Deborah's death was announced in June last year as her loved ones shared the sad news that the mum-of-two had died at the age of 40 via a statement on social media, following a five-year battle against stage four bowel cancer.
At the time of her death, Deborah hadn’t only been made a dame but established the Bowelbabe Fund for Cancer Research UK, which has currently raised more than £11 million.
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As the first anniversary of the late campaigner's death approaches, Lauren Mahon, friend Emma Campbell and 5-Live presenter Tony Livesey have been discussing Deborah's incredible legacy with the Bowelbabe Fund and sharing their memories of their beloved friend.
Rachael Bland, Lauren Mahon and Deborah James were the original You, Me and the Big C hosts (BBC/Claire Wood)Deborah began co-presenting You, Me and the Big C alongside Steve Bland's late wife Rachael Bland and Lauren Mahon in 2018, with the podcast earning praise for its frank discussion of cancer following its launch on Radio 5 Live.
Lauren, who had received a stage three breast cancer diagnosis in May 2016 aged 31, had never met her two co-hosts when, two years later, they were first introduced in a Manchester studio to record their ground-breaking podcast.
When Rachael passed away aged 40 from breast cancer in September 2018, her husband Steve Bland replaced her on the podcast and joined Deborah and Lauren as a co-host.
Recalling her reaction to Rachael's death, Lauren tells the Radio Times: "When Rachael died, I actually said to Deb the next day, ‘I’m the one who doesn’t have a husband and kids. Why her? Why you?’
Lauren with Steve and Deborah at the British Podcast Awards in May 2019 (Keith Mayhew/SOPA Images/REX/Shutterstock)
The podcast host recalls Deborah once telling her off 'very severely'"And she told me off very severely and said, ‘Lauren, you’re the hope – I’m glad you’re not in our situation.’ That was typical of her."
Speaking with the publication alongside Emma and Lauren, Tony reflects on Deborah asking him to conduct what would be her final interview over the phone on live radio last year, as the campaigner received palliative career at her parents' house.
Tony notes how he and Deborah had many honest chats over the years but their final one was perhaps the most honest conversation of all - recalling how the late mum-of-two was crying during their interview and admitted she was scared of dying for the first time.
Deborah's BowelBabe Fund has now surpassed the £11million mark (Instagram/ @bowelbabe)"Ending that call was one of the hardest things he has ever had to do," Tony heartbreaking explains.
"I couldn’t put the phone down as I knew it would be the last time I would speak to her. We were like young kids on a date – ‘you put it down,’ ‘no you put it down.’ In the end she put the phone down. And that was the last time I ever spoke to her."
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In the weeks prior to her death, Deborah - known as 'Bowel Babe' - promoted the Bowelbabe Fund, which she had established to raise money and awareness for charity.
The initiative - which was set-up in collaboration with Cancer Research UK - had an initial target of £250,000, though the campaign has now raised more than £11 million.
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