On the evening of December 10, BBC’s The One Show was briefly interrupted for a poignant announcement about the death of acclaimed author Sophie Kinsella. Hosts Alex Jones and Vernon Kay, who were set to welcome actor Brendan Fraser and astronaut Tim Peake, took a moment at the start of the show to honor her memory.
Alex Jones solemnly addressed the audience: “We wanted to take a moment to reflect on today’s very sad news that best-selling author Sophie Kinsella has died. Like millions, I really loved the Shopaholic series, and our thoughts are very much with her family and friends.”
Sophie Kinsella was the pen name of Madeleine Sophie Wickham, who passed away at the age of 55 after a brave battle with an aggressive brain cancer known as glioblastoma. Her family shared a heartfelt statement on Instagram, expressing their heartbreak while celebrating her life full of love, music, family, and joy.
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The family’s message read: “We are heartbroken to announce the passing this morning of our beloved Sophie (aka Maddy, aka Mummy). She died peacefully, surrounded by her true loves—family, music, warmth, Christmas, and joy. We cannot imagine life without her radiance and love of life. Despite her illness, which she faced with unimaginable courage, Sophie felt truly blessed to have such wonderful family and friends and to have experienced extraordinary success in her writing career. She was forever grateful for the love she received and will be deeply missed. Our hearts are breaking.”
Before her passing, Sophie had openly shared her health journey after her diagnosis in late 2022. She had been receiving chemotherapy and radiotherapy at London’s University College Hospital and had undergone surgery. Sophie revealed she delayed sharing her condition publicly to protect her children’s privacy as they adapted to their “new normal.”
She expressed gratitude for the support she received: “At the moment, all is stable, and I am feeling generally very well, though I get very tired and my memory is even worse than before! I am so grateful to my family, close friends, and the wonderful doctors and nurses who have treated me.”
The One Show’s tribute solemnly acknowledged the loss of a cherished author whose stories touched millions around the world.