Charlene White sobbed as she recalled sitting alone at her aunt's funeral during lockdown in 2020, a day after Boris Johnson's alleged BYOB bash last year.
On Thursday's episode of the ITV chat show, Charlene White sobbed to the Loose Women panel as she remembered her aunt's funeral during the first national lockdown.
The ITV news presenter grew teary-eyed as she recalled attending the solemn occasion and being unable to hug her grieving family members.
Charlene became emotional while discussing Boris Johnson's apology for attending a party in the gardens of 10 Downing Street in May 2020.
Confiding in co-stars Nadia Sawalha, Carol McGiffin, and Linda Robson, with her voice cracking, Charlene said, "There were so many unknowns at that time. There were so many of us right across the country that were terrified, we were terrified.
"We wanted to do our bit, we wanted to save the lives of those who were at risk, those who did have an underlying condition. So many of us were doing the right thing."
Charlene continued, while wiping tears, "There were loved ones you missed as a result of sticking by the rules and my family stuck by the rules. We had to bury family members without being able to hug each other.
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"I had to sit in a crematorium while my aunt was buried, because I wasn’t living in the same household as my brother and sister and my dad, in a pew by myself, with my baby daughter on my lap. we were all in floods of tears, and we couldn’t hug each other."
"There are so many of us who haven't grieved at all," Charlene noted, adding that she experienced delayed grief "in waves".
Charlene described the occasion, recounting standing at the gravesite as gravediggers filled the grave, seeing her cousin cry and not being able to hug her because those in power had enforced strict social distancing rules in a bid to stop the spread of the virus.
The prime minister is already facing a barrage of criticism and calls for his resignation after admitting to spending 25 minutes socialising with Downing Street workers at a drinks party in May 2020, when close contact was banned for the UK public.
Despite being in the midst of escalating Covid cases, Johnson has maintained that he did not break any rules because he "implicitly" felt it was a work event.
After watching Charlene's emotional on-screen moment today, Loose Women fans took to social media to support her.
"I can resonate with this so much!! @CharleneWhite Thank you for saying what a lot of us are thinking and feeling! From having to choose which 10 people should be in the chapel, to not being able to hug and grieve as one family unit. I completely empathise with you," one sympathetic viewer wrote on Twitter.
"Sending so much love to @CharleneWhite today," another added.
"Charlene, don’t ever apologise for being emotional. I’m the same as well. You are only human. That’s the most beautiful thing. Sending you a hug," a third reached out to say.
