Carol Vorderman tearily recalls ‘going missing’ after Countdown star Richard Whiteley’s death

Carol Vorderman has opened up about the time she ‘went missing’ after feeling overwhelmed following fellow Countdown star Richard Whiteley’s death.

The LBC presenter, 63, was discussing the topic with Missing People’s head of helplines Paul Joseph when she revealed a time she ‘disappeared’.

Explaining how her children were with her ex-husband at the time, Carol revealed Whiteley’s death left her unable to cope and she checked into a hotel room.

‘It was a few weeks after,’ Carol began, before tearing up at the memory and warning: ‘This will start me off.’

She continued: ‘Richard Whiteley died. He died quite suddenly, and I couldn’t cope. I just couldn’t cope.

‘I couldn’t cope with being in the public eye about it. I didn’t know what to do. I just had to disappear. I didn’t want anyone I knew around me. I just got in the car and I drove and eventually found a hotel. I didn’t have anything with me.

Richard Whiteley died in 2005 (Picture: Peter Bolton/TV Times via Getty Images)

Carol Vorderman has revealed she ‘disappeared’ following his death (Picture: Dave Benett/Getty Images)

She added: ‘I had my purse. I locked myself away, switched my phone off. I felt better after. I needed to just get my thoughts together. So I do understand that people feel that’s their only option.’

‘And there’s no shame about it, that’s why I’m telling this story for the first time. There’s no shame, everyone has those moments, I believe, at some point.’

Whiteley died aged 61 in 2005 following heart complications. He was admitted into Leeds Royal Infirmary with pneumonia and died shortly after.

Carol and Whiteley’s professional relationship spanned over 20 years, as they co-hosted Countdown from its first episode in 1982 until his death.

After his death, Carol paid tribute to Whiteley as she wrote: ’39 years ago today I started on the telly with my beloved Richard Whiteley on Countdown as the first ever show broadcast on the new channel @Channel4.

Carol added: ‘I was 21. We had 23 cheeky happy laughing years together until he died. The clock stopped too soon and I still miss him.’

The discussion about missing people comes as efforts are ongoing in Tenerife to try and find 19-year-old apprentice bricklayer Jay Slater who vanished on Monday June 17 after the NRG music festival.

Social media sleuths have hooked onto Jay’s violent past, and police on Tenerife are considering whether his disappearance is linked with criminality.

This comes amid widespread hysteria online, with various people posting wild and totally unfounded theories as to Jay’s whereabouts.

Carol was reportedly criticised online after her comments about going missing on LBC amid the search for Jay, as The Independent and other publications reported one person said: ‘I don’t think that’s the same thing Carol!!?’

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