Richard E Grant writes letters to his late wife Joan Washington every night to help him process his grief
The 67-year-old actor was left devastated when his wife of 38 years died aged 75 in September 2021 after a battle with lung cancer and he's admitted he feels he will never "get over" the loss but he's taken to writing down his observations of the day in letters to Joan in a bid to feel as if he's having a "conversation" with her
23 October 2024
He told the Guardian newspaper: "I write to her every night. [I write down] everything. Stuff I know would amuse her. ... I have no spiritual or religious delusion that I'm ever going to get a reply.
"But after 38 years of marriage, I can hear what her response would be. It feels as close a connection as I can have. And I've found it very hopeful, that at the end of the day I'm having a conversation."
He added of his loss: "What I've found so difficult is not having her to download to, to download everything that has happened in my day ...
"This platitude that 'time heals' ... I don't think it does. I think you navigate your way around it. You never get over it. And I'm not actively trying to get over it, either."
Richard and Joan's daughter Olivia got married over the summer and the actor revealed his wife had recorded a poem to be played at the wedding, but he decided it would be too emotional for guests so they had it read by someone else instead.
He explained: "It would have wiped everybody out ... [Not having Joan there] that's the brutal bit."
He went on to reveal three female family friends stepped in to help Olivia in the run up to the wedding and he will be forever grateful for their kindness.
Richard said: "[They] appointed themselves her fairy godmothers, like something from Sleeping Beauty.
"They took her to buy her wedding dress. They took her to lunch. They've offered themselves up as mother mentors ... "
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