Simon Thomas’s new girlfriend hits back at troll who said she’s only with presenter for his money
SIMON Thomas's new girlfriend shut down a mean Instagram troll after they claimed she was only with the presenter for money.
The father-of-one, 46, found love again late last year with Derrina Jebb, 28, after his wife Gemma tragically died, aged just 40, from acute myeloid leukaemia in 2017.
Simon shared a picture on Instagram of his son Ethan, 10, splashing around in a pool with Derrina on a spa retreat in Dorset, when the troll made the nasty remark.
The sports journalist captioned the fun shot: "Lashing with rain, wind howling; but the #spa at @silverlakedorset is amazing. Something very liberating about having a dip in a heated outdoor pool in the rain."
To which a follower commented: "She’s doing alright out of u."
Derrina responded to the jibe, writing: "I earn my own salary and take the boys away too but thanks for taking the time to write a lovely comment. Enjoy your Saturday."
Dozens of other followers condemned the troll's comment, while Simon blocked the offending account.
He replied: "@christinebessey you don’t merit a proper response. Blocked."
Simon has spoken candidly in the past about how he felt suicidal after Gemma's death, and credits his love for his son as well as Derrina's support for helping him overcome his darkest times.
He wrote on Instagram in September: "We love @derrina more than words can describe. A woman of boundless love, kindness and compassion who has loved me when I was hard to love, picked me up when I was in pieces and has the most beautiful bond with my boy.
"I am incredibly blessed to have her in my life and will love her forever."
, the former Blue Peter presenter admitted Derrina had been an "incredible support" to him and Ethan.
Simon admitted to host Anna Foster that it felt "strange" to be dating again, but that he is incredibly grateful to have someone so supportive by his side.
He said: "Right from the early stages – she had this empathy towards me. She’s Christian as well and that’s important to me as a man of faith.
"She’s been an incredible support for me. She was the only person who would always pick up the phone.
"What I saw in her, I saw in Gemma. When she said my phone is always on, she meant it."
The presenter affirmed Derrina would never replace his late wife, but that it was simply a new chapter in his life.
"Sometimes I struggle with the phrase ‘moving on’ – I don’t think you ever really do move on from what’s happened," he continued.
"That hole that a loved one leaves doesn’t shrink over time. Life begins to grow around it. You begin to deal with some of the challenges grief throws up, being a single parent throws up.
"But I’ve got two choices. Give up – I can’t do that, I don’t want to do that, I’ve got a boy to bring up, I promised Gemma.
"The only other choice then is you walk. There are no shoes left to be filled. There will never be another Gemma. We are unique – we come to the table with our different personalities.
"If you’re embarking on a new relationship, comparing is ultimately a futile task. There is no comparison.”
He added: “It’s not my fault what happened to Gemma – it’s nobody’s fault. This person is helping me define life again, helping me to feel happy again.
“I can completely understand why some people do [feel that way]. But for most people we lose, they won’t want us to remain in this empty landscape of grief."
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Simon has been very vocal about his grief, and often shares honest insight into his struggle on his Instagram page.
Last April, he announced that he would be stepping down from his role as a Sky Sports presenter at the end of the season, in order to dedicate his time to being a full-time dad.
Announcing the news on his blog, he wrote: "On that first morning after Gemma went, I remember Ethan coming up to me in the lounge and through his tears he said these words, 'Daddy, you know every weekend you go away and do the football, and I spend the weekend with Mummy? What do I do now?'
"And they have stuck with me ever since."
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