Showbiz

Declan Donnelly 'devastated' over father's death

Published Wednesday, Aug 24 2011, 17:37 BST | By Paul Millar | 4 comments

Declan Donnelly is in mourning for his father, who has died at the age of 78.

Father-of-seven Alphonsus, known affectionately as Foncey to his family and friends, died in hospital last Friday.

"Dec is understandably devastated. We ask for complete privacy at this difficult time," a rep for the I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here presenter said.

Since the news spread across Newcastle, tributes have poured in. Staff at the Tyneside Irish Centre, where Alphonsus worked as a steward, said that he would be greatly missed.

The centre's secretary Tony Corcoran told The Evening Chronicle: "It is so sad to see him go. I know he suffered towards the end.

"Looking back when his boys were singing little Irish songs, who'd have thought they'd become such stars like Declan?"

Friend Pauline O'Donnell said: "He was always very happy and cheerful and a hard-working man with a great sense of humour. He was well-known and loved. He will be sadly missed by everyone who knew him."