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Richard E Grant recalls wife Joan's heartbreaking last wish before she died of lung cancer
The One Show about his new memoir, A Pocketful of Happiness, which was written mostly in diary form during the last year of his wife’s life, the 65-year-old actor explained the personal story behind the title, and the heartfelt message his wife Joan gave to him and his daughter Oilly (Olivia) shortly before she took her last breath.Talking very calmly and collectively about his wife and the 38 years of marriage that they shared, Richard told Alex Jones and Jermaine Jenas how he was coping with grief.Having lost his wife a year ago this month he described grief as an “abyss” with him having to “negotiate” his way through it on a daily basis, which can understandably be “difficult” at times.Continuing to talk about his beloved wife, Richard said: “Joan was very smart.“She died a year ago this month and four days before she died she said ‘I know you and our daughter will be sad, what I charge you both to do is find a pocketful of happiness in each day’.”Respecting his wife’s last wishes, or instructions, Richard said that both him and his daughter have tried to do just that.He said: “It has been really helpful.