Barrymore's Ex-Wife Dies

[jason]

Cheryl Barrymore, ex-wife of troubled TV host Michael, has died suddenly.

The 56-year-old was diagnosed with lung cancer six weeks ago, but had kept it hidden from all but the very closest of friends and family.


Cheryl, 56, died at St John and St Elizabeth Hospital in St John's Wood, north London on Friday, her friend, Max Clifford, said.

She had chosen not to have chemotherapy or radiotherapy, and slipped into a coma on Thursday.

Cheryl and Michael Barrymore were married for 22 years but divorced in 1997. She acted as his manager and was credited with taking him to stardom.

Michael now lives in New Zealand with his partner Shaun, and had no contact with Cheryl after their acrimonious split.

Pool death

Cheryl was previously married to theatre producer Greg Smith, from 1970 to 1973, after a whirlwhind romance. She turned to him again when Michael announced he was gay 10 years ago.

Then in 2001 Michael became embroiled in controversy again when a man, Stuart Lubbock, drowned in the pool at his Essex home during a wild party.

Michael, who had been smoking a joint in a bedroom, fled the scene, checking into rehab the next day. The coroner recorded an open verdict and Michael was later cautioned for possession of cannabis.

Cheryl's claims, that Michael perjured himself during the inquest by claiming he couldn't swim and therefore couldn't have dived in and saved Lubbock, came to nothing,

It took Cheryl years to get back on her feet after her divorce from Michael - she eventually acted as TV agent to Rebecca Loos, former EastEnders actress Daniella Westbrook and comic Freddie Starr.

At the time she said: "It has taken me all this time to get back to being me again. After Michael, it was extremely difficult to work.

Bubbly

"It took years to get over the shock but I would never want to go back to that life again. It was so traumatic."

In 2003, she was taken to hospital after a rare virus left her with perforated ulcers in the stomach, and was on life support for eight weeks.

Announcing her death, Max Clifford said on Friday: "The doctors told her that treatment might have given her a bit more time but she didn't want all that. She wanted to make the most of what time she had left.

"This has happened so quickly and we are all devastated. She was a lovely lady, so bright and bubbly. She was getting over Michael when she found out she was ill.

"I suppose she will be best remembered as playing an important part in building the career of a man who was one of the biggest stars in British television."

[chav1]

when i saw the thread title i thought it was going to say she was found in the deep end of a swimming pool