Gary Newbon pays tribute to his 'driven' mother who has died aged 84.
Dec 22 2009 by Graham Young, Birmingham Mail
SPORTS presenter Gary Newbon today revealed the heartache of losing his mother – who died aged 84 in the same week that he learned he was to be given a place on Broad Street’s Walk of Stars.
The father of three said she had been in a Leeds care home for three years to be near to his barrister brother, Ian, and would not have been able to take in details about ‘great honour’ before she died on November 5.
As the former chairman of Huntingdon District Council and Mayor of St Ives in 1992, Preeva Newbon’s influence in Huntington and Cambridgeshire was such that former Prime Minister John Major sent his apologies from San Francisco for not being able to attend her November 20 funeral.
Gary, a renowned charity fundraiser, received his star on December 10.
He said today: “We’ve had a really rollercoaster year. I’ve been celebrating five years at Sky, and the Walk of Stars award after a career in television that’s lasted 40 years, mostly at Central.
“Our first grandchild, Jake, was born eight months ago to our daughter Claire, who is the news editor for Grazia magazine.
“But the year began with my wife Katie developing melanoma skin cancer on her foot, even though she’s not a sun worshipper.
“Then it spread to lymph nodes in her groin. After a second operation, we had the all clear again just after I got the Walk of Stars award.
“Now she’ll have three-monthly checks for five years.”
Paying tribute to Preeva, Gary said: “Both of my parents were poor to begin with but sacrificed a lot to give me and Ian private education.
“My mother told me to be a success after what they had provided and that was a masterstroke.
“My dad, Jack, was brought up in an orphanage and died aged 62.
“He flew 40 times with Bomber Command and was my hero.
“My mum would always go through a brick wall. Her drive would help her to get anything she wanted.
“She went from wool to fashion to a babywear business and did so well that Ladybird wouldn’t launch anything without consulting her.”
Gary, who will turn 65 on March 15, added: “After my dad died, my mother went into politics.
“Her pet hate was having to queue for anything and I haven’t got her ruthlessness. But John Major had a mutual respect for her and there was a genuine friendship – he used to invite her to No. 10.
“What I inherited from her was the work ethic, determination, drive and hopefully a bit of vision.”
