CELEBRITY Race Across The World viewers were left in tears last night as one star revealed a second devastating family tragedy.
Derry Girls actor Dylan Llewellyn, 33, is currently appearing on the BBC One series with mum Jackie, who were ahead of the pack as they headed to Colombia for their fifth or sixth checkpoints as the final draws closer.
Dylan had already shared details around the heartbreaking death of his brother James in an earlier episode, but appearing in Thursday night’s episode, Jackie delved into another devastating family loss.
During their journey to Columbia, they stopped at a Panama waterfall, which got Jackie thinking about her heartache.
Swimming in the water, Jackie told cameras: “When I’m in nature, I feel like I’m close to heaven or something.
“I think through losses I have, I feel closer to them when I’m in those moments of serenity and beauty.”
Jackie then explained how she lost her first husband, who she met when she was just 22, while she was pregnant with her first son James.
She recalled the harrowing moment in an emotional confessional, telling cameras: “I was due to have James on December 19 and on the 21st, there was a knock at the door and those two fluorescent jackets.
“They said, ‘We just want to let you know that your husband has been knocked over by a car and killed instantly’.”
She continued: “I had James and I found it very difficult on my own. I eventually got my act together and got on in life and coped.”
She giggled briefly as she joked: “I had three little boys under three. It was absolute chaos.”
But she became tearful as she continued to explain the impact of her losses.
She said: “Losing two people very close in my life definitely has changed me as a person.
“When James had gone I’d internalised trying to be brave and put on a brave face for the boys.
“It took me a while to be strong again, but I’ve had to be strong as a mother to my boys.”
The emotional scenes played out to fans during Thursday night’s episode, with many taking to social media platform X after being left in tears.
One viewer wrote: “God this show is destroying me tonight”.
Another posted: “Christ this poor woman’s been through a lot”.
While one added: “Could do without the emotional stuff on #raceacrosstheworld”.
It follows Dylan’s bravery, as he recalled the story of his brother’s death in a previous episode of the series.
His older brother James, who was raised alone by mum Jackie after his dad passed away, sadly took his own life.
“My eldest brother James, he took his life when he was 20. I was 16. It just hit us all hard, so hard,” he said.
“Doing this race is like doing it for my brother and my mum. He would have loved to do something like this. I think she’d like to have that kind of journey with a son.”
How to get help
EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide
It doesn’t discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.
It’s the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.
And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.
Yet it’s rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.
If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:
