Denise Robertson

Denise Robertson (9 June 1932 – 31 March 2016) was a British writer and television broadcaster. She made her television debut as the presenter of the ''Junior Advice Line'' segment of the BBC's '' Breakfast Time'' programme in 1985, though she is best known as the resident agony aunt on the ITV show ''This Morning'' from its first broadcast on 3 October 1988 until her death. In the course of her career, she dealt with over 200,000 letters from viewers seeking advice. In 2006 she was appointed as a Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to broadcasting.

Early life

Born Margaret Denise Mary Broderick on 9 June 1932 in Sunderland, County Durham, she was the youngest of two daughters of Herbert Stanley (1889–1961) and Catherine Maud Broderick (née Cahill, 1896–1970). Herbert ran a shipping business that failed before she was born. She attended Sunderland High School.Remembering 130 years of Sunderland High School at Sunderland Echo
Retrieved 1 April 2016Meeting About Historic Sunderland School at St Helens Reporter
Retrieved 3 April 2016

Career

Robertson's first job was as a clerk at Sunderland Royal Infirmary. She then progressed to the position of medical secretary, and later became a counsellor. She won a BBC competition to write a play, and became an agony aunt on Metro Radio in Newcastle.

From its 1988 inception until shortly before her death in 2016, Robertson was a familiar face on ITV's flagship daytime magazine programme ''This Morning'', appearing as its resident agony aunt. Over her 27 years on the show, Robertson dealt with an estimated 200,000 letters from viewers wanting advice.

In addition to ''This Morning,'' Robertson briefly hosted her own television series, ''Dear Denise'', in 2000. She also featured as a love and relationships pundit on ''Dave Gorman's Important Astrology Experiment'' in 2002. Robertson ran an advice website called DearDenise.com, and wrote a monthly column for national magazine ''Candis''. She also made regular appearances on Channel 5's ''Big Brother's Bit on the Side''.

Robertson was a regular panellist on BBC Radio 4's political debate programme ''Any Questions?'' She also served as an independent councillor for her local council and drove for the Meals on Wheels service. She was also chair of her local physically handicapped club for over ten years. In 1983, she formed a trust with five others to provide work for the long-term unemployed.

In addition, Robertson wrote fiction and non-fiction books. Her first novel, ''Nurse'' ''in Doubt'' (1984), was published by Mills & Boon. Her second, ''The Land of Lost Content'', was awarded the 1984 Constable prize for fiction.

Personal life

Robertson was twice widowed; she married Alexander Inkster "Alex" Robertson (1919–1972) in 1960 and they had a son Mark Alexander (born 1962). Alexander Robertson died of lung cancer in 1972. In 1973, she married John "Jack" Tomlin (1921–1995); he died of a stroke in 1995.

She then married her childhood friend Bryan Thubron in 1997. Robertson was a keen supporter of Sunderland A.F.C. and had worked with the University of Sunderland, appearing as guest speaker at graduation ceremonies. She lived in East Boldon, South Tyneside.

Honours

In 1998, Robertson was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of County Durham. She was given the Freedom of the City of Sunderland in 2006 and appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the Birthday Honours that year for "services to Broadcasting and to Charity".

Death

Robertson died on 31 March 2016, aged 83, at the Royal Marsden Hospital, London after being diagnosed in early 2016 with pancreatic cancer. She made the diagnosis public in February 2016 on the television show ''This Morning'' after being absent from her usual posting as its agony aunt. ''This Morning'' aired a special edition tribute programme on 1 April 2016. Her funeral took place on 13 April 2016 at Sunderland Minster, and she was buried in Sunderland Cemetery in Grangetown.

Filmography

Works

* ''Don't Cry Aloud'' Hopcyn Press 2015
* ''Winds of War'' Little Books 2009
* ''None To Make You Cry'' Little Books 2009
* ''The Promise'' Little Books 2008
* ''The Second Wife'' Little Books 2008
* ''Agony? Don't Get Me Started...'' Autobiography Max Press 2006
* ''The Bad Sister'' Little Books 2005
* ''Relax It's Only a Baby'' Little Books 2005
* ''Men Are From Earth. Women Are From Earth.: Deal with It!'' Little Books 2005
* ''Sir Tom Cowie, A True Entrepreneur: A Biography'' University of Sunderland 2004
* ''A Relative Freedom''
* ''Wait For the Day''
* ''The Beloved People'' (Belgate Trilogy 1) 2004
* ''Strength for the Morning'' (Belgate Trilogy 2) 2004
* ''Towards Jerusalem'' (Belgate Trilogy 3) 2005
* ''A Year of Winter'' 1986
* ''The Land of Lost Content'' 1985
* ''Blue Remembered Hills'' 1987

References

External links

Denise Robertson returns to Uganda

{{DEFAULTSORT:Robertson, Denise
1932 births
2016 deaths
Deaths from pancreatic cancer in England
Deputy lieutenants of Durham
English people of Irish descent
English television presenters
Members of the Order of the British Empire
Mass media people from Sunderland
Writers from Tyne and Wear