Comedian, actor and presenter Tom Allen has come a long way since winning a So You Think You’re Funny contest at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2005.
And an even longer way from his upbringing in Bromley, south London, which he insists was “very ordinary”.
His dad died from a heart attack at the age of 80, leaving Tom – on Blankety Blank this weekend (June 7) – in “total shock”. He shared the news with his social media followers when it happened a few years ago, but he’s since spoken more about how it changed his life.
Tom Allen describes ‘awful’ moment he found out his dad had died
The tragedy happened a few months after he moved out of the family home. Tom, 41, lived with his parents until May 2021. He explained in an interview with The Times in late 2023 that he always had a sense of foreboding whenever the had to leave them for anything. As a teenager, he resisted going to parties in case something bad happened to them in his absence.
After the pandemic, he finally moved out. He was in his first relationship, and things were moving along. He and his partner decided to go on holiday to Grenada, and before they left, Tom went to his parents’ house for Sunday lunch. Tom declined his dad’s offer of a lift home, telling him there was no need. He gave him a hug and went home to finish packing.
Just before he got on the plane, he texted his dad – it was his habit. He always liked to check in. But his dad still hadn’t replied by the time they were on their way to the beach on the first day of their holiday. When he got back to the hotel that afternoon, he noticed that he had a missed call from his mum. He called back and his brother picked up the phone.
“The rain was thrashing down and thunder was rumbling in the bay,” he said, which contains a flavour of the shock that was to come.
His brother told him their dad had just died – “suddenly, of a heart attack”. Just as suddenly, Tom’s “whole life changed”.
“The experience was like an awful prophecy and confirmed my worst fears. When I visited Tenerife the following year, I called my mum every five minutes to check she was all right.”
Tom’s tribute to late father after heart attack
From his hotel in Grenada, Tom announced the news to his social media followers.
“I’m so sad to report that my wonderful dad has died,” he wrote. “It was a total shock. He was with Mum and he had a heart attack last night. He grew up in one room in Penge and worked hard every day of his life.”
Tom went on to quote some of the things his dad used to say, such as ‘You can never run out of love’ and ‘Always go into everything with a good heart’.
“He was also inclined to write ‘shove it’ in a birthday card,” he added.
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“It feels like part of the grieving process that I wanted to tell you: He was a wonderful kind man and we love him very much. Here he is on his 80th earlier this year with me and my brother.”
Friends and fans commiserated. Among them were Zoe Ball, who wrote in the comments that she was “so sorry” to hear the news.
Fay Ripley, Alexandra Burke and Jamie Redknapp added their voices to the chorus.
“When we met he was so charming, with a magic twinkle in his eye,” Zoe wrote. “Sending huge love to you Tom, your mum and family.”
Catch Tom on Blankety Blank on Saturday (June 7) at 8.05pm on BBC One.
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