Grief Kind podcast episode one with Lisa Riley
In the first instalment of our new Grief Kind podcast, Clover Stroud speaks to BAFTA-winning actress and television presenter Lisa Riley about her mum, Cath, who died in Lisa’s arms from pancreatic cancer. Lisa talks about her personal experience of bereavement and what has helped most through her struggles with grief.
“Mum was the life and soul”
Amongst anecdotes of lemon curd and Strictly Come Dancing, Lisa reveals how she coped with the death of her mum – who she describes as “the oxygen of the room” - but still misses her daily.
When it comes to grief, Lisa questions whether time is a healer and shares her insight into the best thing a friend can do to help a loved one through a bereavement.
Transcript | Grief Kind podcast episode one
“Her love for life, her smile, I promised her in her last week of life, ‘If there's one part of your legacy I'm taking, it's your smile’”
Lisa said: “I've spent years trying to raise awareness of the impact of grief because it is something that almost all of us will be affected by at some point.
“When my mum died, I didn't want to do anything or see anyone. I still sometimes feel ‘Am I supposed to be over it? I feel as if I'm being judged because of grief. Fundamentally, it doesn't go away, you learn to live with it and people around you need to understand that.”
Our next podcast episodes
Available on all podcast streaming services, the next episodes of our three-part Grief Kind podcast series will hear host Clover talk with TV presenter Candice Brathwaite on 25 October and, on 8 November, fashion designer Pearl Lowe.
Both celebrity guests will share their first-hand experiences of bereavement and the things that those close to them did that really helped them during the toughest times of their lives.
Grief Kind support
- Order your Grief Kind sympathy cards, with tips on supporting a loved one after a beareavement
- Request expert grief advice straight to your inbox
- Find out more about our Grief Kind campaign
- Access our bereavement information and Online Community grief forum
- Our #GriefKind YouTube playlist, including celebrity supporter videos about ways to be there for someone who is grieving