Deborah James’s final message to children revealed on anniversary of death

Dame Deborah James told her children they must “live a full life” on the last weekend before she died from bowel cancer, her parents have revealed.

In an interview to mark the second anniversary of her death, the podcaster and campaigner’s mother said that her greatest sadness is for her grandchildren growing up without their mother.

“The last weekend she said to them ‘you must live a full life and don’t use me as an excuse and enjoy life’,” Heather James told ITV News.

“Don’t use me as an excuse and enjoy life.”