‘We can’t even say goodbye’: Strictly’s Neil Jones shares his anguish as he is unable to attend his uncle’s funeral due to the coronavirus pandemic
Neil Jones has shared his anguish after he was unable to attend his uncle’s funeral due to the coronavirus pandemic.
At present, government guidelines state only immediate family members; parents, children, partner or spouse are to attend funerals.
The Strictly professional, 37, took to his social media on Wednesday to pay tribute to his Uncle Johnny, sharing some moving words and a photo.
Upset: Neil Jones has shared his anguish after he was unable to attend his uncle’s funeral due to the coronavirus pandemic (pictured in January)
Neil wrote on Twitter: ‘Today is my uncles funeral but the sad fact is we can’t even say goodbye. RIP Johnny and my thoughts are with my family. Thank you to everyone who stood out in his street just to pay their respects.’
Alongside the photo of his uncle, Neil penned the following caption for an Instagram story: ‘It’s sad today that we can’t even say goodbye. You will always be in our thoughts. RIP Johnny.
Fans flooded the television personality’s comments. One follower wrote: ‘Sending so much love xxx’, while another added: ‘sending you and your family lots of love Orange heart’.
A third chimed: ‘Awww Neil sending u lots of love from my family to yours’.
Always remembered: The Strictly professional took to his social media on Wednesday to pay tribute to his Uncle Johnny, sharing some moving words and a photo
Tribue: Neil wrote on Twitter: ‘Today is my uncles funeral but the sad fact is we can’t even say goodbye. RIP Johnny and my thoughts are with my family
A fourth fan typed: ‘Sending lots of love to you and your family can’t imagine how difficult it must be’.
On Tuesday, BBC bosses confirmed Strictly Come Dancing looks set to go ahead this year amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The dance competition airs every year in autumn, and now the broadcaster’s controller of programming has suggested the show could go ahead.
Speaking to Emma Bullimore on BBC Essex, BBC’s Dan McGolpin said: ‘It wouldn’t be the same if we didn’t have Strictly in the autumn, would it?
‘So no of course the BBC is doing everything it can, and I know that everyone involved in that production team would absolutely love that to happen this autumn.
The competition typically launches in August or September with the reveal of the celebrity lineup, and live shows follow in October as the programme concludes in December.
Dan is hopeful filming can kick off as planned, if the current health crisis improves.
He added: ‘So we’ve really just got to keep watching the government advice, thinking about what’s possible.
‘And if there’s any way of bringing Strictly back this autumn, then we absolutely will. That’s very much our intentions, so yeah fingers crossed.’
Keep dancing: On Tuesday, BBC bosses confirmed Strictly Come Dancing looks set to go ahead this year amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic