Retired footballer Rio Ferdinand has opened up about losing his wife in a new BBC One documentary on bereaved parents.
In May 2015, Rio’s partner Rebecca Ellison passed away from breast cancer aged 34.
Opening up about his loss, Rio said, ‘I don’t think I’ve grieved properly.
‘I’ve not given myself that time to sit down and really flush everything out and go through it.’
The programme, Rio Ferdinand: Being Mum and Dad, focuses on the journey people go through after losing their partner and how they mould a new life for themselves and their children.
With around 75 men under 50 becoming widowers every day in the UK, the show is hoping to tackle the stigma men face for displaying and discussing emotions.
Alison Kirkham, Controller of Factual Commissioning and Events, says: ‘Rio Ferdinand has courageously allowed the cameras to follow him in this revealing and immensely personal documentary exploring the complexities of grief.
'This candid film will offer BBC One audiences an intimate exploration of the ways in which men similarly bereaved cope with their loss.’
Rio Ferdinand: Being Mum and Dad will air on BBC One this spring.
MORE: 8 THINGS YOU SHOULD NEVER SAY TO A WIDOW OR WIDOWER
(Images: Getty)
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