Ruthie Henshall emotionally discusses her mother's health

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Ruthie, 53, spoke with the Loose Women panel as she admitted she was considering getting a job in a care home so she could have contact with her mother. During the coronavirus pandemic, visits into assisted living facilities have been restricted as patients living there were classed as the most vulnerable in society to contracting the illness. Having only seen her mother through a window for the past year, the former ITV reality show contestant got emotional as she reflected on being separated from her parent.

Featuring in last year’s edition of I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!, the stage performer knows first hand what it’s like to not only be isolated from her mother but all of her loved ones.

She was seen getting tearful during her time in the castle as she spoke many times about missing her children in the outside world.

However, addressing being able to have contact with mother Gloria, the West End star said: “[The last time I saw her was] before I went into the castle [for I’m A Celebrity], (was) back in October.

“Then they brought in the rule of not being able to have more than one person go and see her behind a screen and that had to be the same person each time.

“Because I was going away into the castle and my other sister works as a teaching assistant, it fell to my other sister to be the one who went in. I haven’t been able to see her.”

“They’ve moved her into a front room and I’ve been able to stand at the window and wave. But I’m shocked, just absolutely shocked and devastated by the shell of a woman that I see.”

Rules have changed in the last few days in terms of public access to care homes and how visits will look going forward.

As part of the Prime Minister’s roadmap to release the nation from lockdown, a resident will be allowed to have one designated person visit them from early March.

The visitor will have to wear full PPE, will have to have a lateral flow test and a temperature check before they see their relative.

I'm A Celeb: Ruthie Henshall discusses being a single mother

Sorry to get so emotional

Ruthie Henshall

This will all have to be done, despite residents of care homes being administered with the vaccine and visitors will be allowed to hold the hands of their loved one in a huge step forward to easing social distancing measures.

However, Ruthie said of the changes: “The risk is so minimal compared with the risk of these people dying and I am watching my mother…”

The guest became very emotional as she struggled to continue speaking, clearly being teary over what she was about to say.

“Sorry…I’m watching my mother die from a window and I am so sorry to get so emotional but it is so frustrating because of the decisions of this Government.”

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“I can’t work out what the Government are saying half the time and I think in years to come, we will look back at this and think, ‘How did we let this happen?’” Ruthie continued with tears in her eyes.

“It’s not just care homes, but they have no voice,” she added, before speaking in detail about the Rights for Residents campaign.

The West End star explained: “What we can say is that all we’re asking for is two hours a week, two essential family carers and to get the law passed, that enshrines our rights as family carers.

“You are going to find that the care sector is going to be decimated by this.”

“People are choosing not to put their loved ones in care homes as they don’t know if they’ll be able to see them or not. It’s going to have such a knock-on effect.”

Of happier times with her mother, the guest said: “She was a teacher, a drama teacher and an English teacher, I get stopped all the time in my hometown, not for anything I do, but to say, ‘Your mother taught me and she inspired me’.

“I was at the Oliviers one year and a lady came up to me and said, ‘Your mother is the reason I’m here and have an award.’

“So we go back to that wonderful thing of teachers changing your life. They have that ability to change your life.”

Loose Women airs weekdays at 12:30pm on ITV.

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