Charlene White recently opened up about the devastating experience of grappling with her father’s decision to end his life, confessing to spending countless hours pondering the reasons behind it. Her father passed away earlier this month, leaving a profound impact on the Loose Women host.

On Friday, Charlene took to Instagram to share her family’s farewell to her dad, Denniston, which included two services and a large wake. Through a heartfelt post accompanied by cherished photographs of her father, she discussed her ongoing journey toward accepting the uncertainty surrounding his choice.

“We’ve spent numerous hours questioning why he chose to take his own life, and surely, we will continue to do so,” she expressed. “But the harsh reality we must face is that we might never know, and we need to find a way to coexist with this truth.”

In a lengthy caption she penned: ‘This week we said a final goodbye to my dad. Two services and a huge wake… hundreds came to celebrate a man who meant so much to so many.

Charlene emphasized that their focus now is to prevent others from feeling trapped in despair, and to avoid leaving any family to endure the pain and sorrow her family is now experiencing.

In lieu of floral tributes, Charlene mentioned that they are fundraising for Black Minds Matter UK, a charity dedicated to offering culturally sensitive support and therapy tailored to the Black community.

The star then explained how instead of asking for flowers they are raising money for Black Minds Matter UK, a charity that provides culturally appropriate support and talking therapies with, and for, the Black community.

Discussing how her and her family are making steps to move forward in light of his passing, she continued: ‘We’ve had sessions with the brilliant @suicideandco therapists, and talked about what the new normal is supposed to look like.

‘The reality is, none of us really knows yet. And that’s okay. And we have a village holding us up, and we have each other.

‘Thank you to everyone who’s reached out, sent their love, and shared their own stories of suicide loss. And to those who’ve dealt with those stories alone and in secret, we send our heartfelt love to you.’

It has been a difficult year for Charlene after she  lost her best friend at the start of 2025.

Her mother Dorrett also died from bowel cancer in 2002. 

Announcing her father’s death earlier this month, Charlene wrote: ‘Two weeks ago our lives changed forever. Unbeknownst to us, our dad had been living with a dark cloud he couldn’t lift. So he made the decision to take control of that cloud and take his own life. 

‘This despite the fact he lived a life full of love. FULL to the brim. Overflowing in fact. But sometimes the darkness is stronger, and heartbreakingly for all of us, he chose to keep what he was going through to himself. Very typical of dad.

‘So we too have made a choice – his children, step-children, and wife – not to hide the circumstances of our loss. Because hiding emotions and the true depth of our feelings – hurt, pain, shock, grief etc. – helps no-one. Least of all us.’

She continued: ‘This post will no doubt prompt many of our friends who we haven’t managed to reach out to yet, to contact us. 

‘Please don’t be offended by any calls and messages that remain unanswered for now. This kind of grief is new and unexpected and we’re still finding our way.

‘Hug your parents close, and always tell them that you love them. Because that’s sort of our job as children, to love them, no matter where the road eventually takes them. Even if they end up taking the hardest most unfathomable path. 

‘But we have each other, and I don’t know how we’d ever be able to see a sliver of brightness and light in everyday without each other to lean on. 

‘And the million extended family members, and tribes of friends who’ve held our hearts and our hands over the past two weeks.

‘On Sunday we had the traditional Jamaican nine night, and the ancestors were right – it was the most perfect way to release our grief through food, dancing, drink… and joy, with hundreds of friends and family. All organised by our tribe of friends and family. We’re incredibly blessed.

‘Denniston was an amazing dad, step dad, surrogate dad to many, friend, brother, grandad, uncle, cousin and husband. And we’re all just taking it step by step.

‘From Charlene, Liz, Joshua, Carina, Jade, Gemma, Justin, Soriah, Alfie, Florence, Kairo, Elisha and Shaniya.’ 

Charlene was immediately flooded with supportive comments from her celebrity pals, including fellow Loose Women panellists Coleen Nolan and Olivia Attwood. 

It has been a difficult year for Charlene, who also lost her best friend Darrell in January. 

The following month, the Loose Women panel were discussing grief, with Charlene breaking down when discussing Darrell’s death from Sarcoma cancer. 

The presenter shared his incredible story and explained how he had joined forces with charity Sarcoma UK to try and raise awareness for the illness. 

A week prior, she paid tribute to Darrell on social media, writing: ‘There will be many of you who will be aware of me talking about one of my oldest and best friends Darrell @djoptic and his mission to beat the enemy which is Sarcoma cancer.

‘In the early hours of Saturday morning, four and a half years after he was diagnosed, after a week of saying goodbyes to those he loved, sharing stories and banter, he took his final breath surrounded by his wonderful wife @mrsamymcdonald and children Maya and Theo.  

‘He has been my brother since we met at 16 years old, I was the best man at his wedding, and godmother to his eldest. The nonsense our little crew would get up to was hilarious back in the day, he was there for every milestone. My heart is broken into a million pieces.

‘He was by far one of the kindest men I’ve ever met, and throughout his treatment he made it his mission to shine a light on Sarcoma alongside @sarcoma_uk in the hope no other family had to go through what he and his family went through: raising awareness, raising money, educating doctors. He was quite simply, amazing.

‘His wife @mrsamymcdonald is honestly the best of all of us. I’ve watched her in awe over the past 4 years. I wish I could hug her pain away, because at this point life just feels very, very unfair.

‘I’m returning to work today, because I just don’t know what else to do tbh. Grief can sometimes just make you feel a little lost. Message your besties and let them know how much they are loved xx.’

Charlene also had an emotional moment on the Loose Women panel last year when she reflected on the death of her mother. 

She was just 20 when her mum Dorrett died from bowel cancer at the age of 47. 

In a discussion about grief, the mother-of-two explained that her pregnancy with her son Alfie was particularly difficult as she faced motherhood without her own mother to support her. 

Charlene – who has son Alfie, eight, and daughter Florence, six, with her TV executive partner Andy. 

She first explained that, upon finding out she was pregnant, Charlene ‘was fine’ but grief caught up with her unexpectedly.

‘I was fine about it, I took the test, I was completely fine with it. But there was a moment, when I started showing and I was in the bath’, she remembered, ‘I was looking at the bump in my belly and it hit me that I was going to have to learn to be a mother when I was motherless.

‘The one person that I needed to guide through this really massive moment in my life wasn’t there. That’s the one moment where I completely lost it and I just cried and cried.

‘I couldn’t stop because grief presents itself when you least expect it and when I gave birth to Alfie, it’s that realisation that your mum is the only person you’ll physically connect to.’

Charlene explained that while other women in her life tried to fill the void left by her mum, she was unable to accept their support and ‘pushed them away’.

‘No one knows me like my mum so if I needed help, my mum would just know’, she insisted. ‘I need to know how to do this by myself and as hard as that it is, I have no choice.’

Charlene finally was unable to hold back her tears any longer as she began to cry and admitted she felt jealous of those who have their children while their mothers are still with them. 

Charlene has a lengthy history in broadcasting including stints on BBC Look East, Radio 5 Live Morning Reports, BBC Three 60 Seconds, BBC News and her own late-night talk show on BBC London 94.9 early on in her career.

In April 2014, she became the first black woman to present ITV News at Ten and was an occasional relief presenter until October 2015.

In 2021, Charlene joined Loose Women as a lead anchor following Andrea McLean’s exit, and she continues to host the ITV Lunchtime News and early-evening edition, as well as ITV London. 

The following year she joined Matt Hancock as a contestant on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! 

She was the first star to be voted out of camp and the series was eventually won by Lioness Jill Scott.  

Charlene claimed in 2023 that being a black woman means she’s had to work twice as hard as her peers in order to succeed in the ruthless TV industry, adding that she regrets ‘toning down’ her natural behaviour in a bid to fit in.

The ITV newsreader admitted she felt that her race, gender and working class roots caused her to experience discrimination at the hands of her former BBC colleagues.

Following a positive experience within Radio 1Xtra’s vibrant newsroom, she insisted her co-workers at the broadcaster’s regional division soon looked at her ‘like she was strange’ and advised her to ‘tone down’ her accent.

During an interview in celebration of International Women’s Day, she revealed how she worked seven day weeks, triple or quadruple shifts before finding success as the first black woman to present ITV’s News at Ten.

The journalist, whose heritage originates from the West Indies, said her parents arrived in the UK, a ‘country that didn’t treat them very well’, and soon had to work six jobs.

The fruits of their labour allowed her the privilege of attending the private Blackheath High School, where fees today are £22,852 per year.

Charlene said she would be ‘doing them a disservice’ if she didn’t ‘shout about their accomplishments’, which allowed her to follow her aspirations.

Admitting she doesn’t consider herself to speak the Queen’s English, the Lewisham native said she realised she ‘didn’t necessarily talk the way other journalists spoke’ and ‘fought really hard to not change that’.

After a six year tenure at the company’s flagship radio station, she said: ‘When I moved into regional TV in Norwich I recorded my voice and a reporter said to me, “You’ll have to redo that because that’s not how we talk at the BBC.”

‘That’s when the shock hit me, because suddenly people were looking at me like I was strange, like I wasn’t intelligent and I couldn’t do my job.

‘But other people made me feel like I was in the wrong for being who I was and I really regret listening and behaving how they wanted me behind you.’

A BBC spokesperson told the Daily Mail at the time: ‘We’re sorry to hear of any negative experiences. The BBC of today is working hard to represent the whole of the UK, both on and off screen. It’s essential people can be themselves at work, whatever their background.’

Charlene also previously revealed that she’s had to endure negative comments about her ‘natural hair’ on social media while hosting ITV News.

For confidential help and support contact Samaritans for free on 116 123