When Richard Whiteley died on 26 June 2005, he was mourned by a nation. But there was more to this engaging and 'bumbling' character than met the eye. Kathryn Apanowicz first dated Richard Whiteley when she was seventeen, leading to a thirty-year on-off relationship that saw them finally living together for seven years until his death. Kathryn knew the private side of Richard that he kept hidden- the women in his life; his anguish at the deaths of his mother, sister and niece within months of each other; his thoughts on the celebrities he met; his time as a political reporter and journalist (he interviewed every British Prime Minister since Harold Macmillan); his pride in Countdown; the moment he received his OBE and his unfailing charity work. In this affectionate and warm tribute to a self-effacing and charismatic man, Kathryn Apanowicz reveals the personality behind the television presenter - the successes, the tragedies and the laughter. For the first time Kathryn shows us the real Richard, a man who everyone thought they knew but only a few ever really did.

Author Biography

Kathryn Apanowicz was Richard Whiteley's partner and lived with him for the last seven years of his life. She is an actress, and appeared in Bugsy Malone, Angels and EastEnders. She has also presented Showtime and Calendar Kids and is a radio presenter. She lives in Yorkshire.