Eddie Large’s widow has told of her despair at being forced to leave him to die alone.
Patsy McGinnis was kept away from his bedside because of lockdown rules after he caught Covid-19 while in hospital with heart failure.
And in another cruel twist, it emerged that Eddie’s comedy partner Syd Little, 77, will miss his pal’s funeral.
In an exclusive interview Patsy, 76, said: “When nurses told me I couldn’t go in to see Eddie on Monday I was in tears.
“It broke my heart that I couldn’t be with him for those last three days…we always thought we’d be together.
Patsy McGinnis was kept away from Eddie’s bedside because of lockdown rules after he caught Covid-19
“I spoke to him on the phone that evening and the last words I said to him were, ‘Darling I love you, we all miss you so much, and we really want you to be able to come home’.
“He wasn’t feeling good and said, ‘I’m going to have to go darling’. Then he said ‘I love you’ and put the phone down and that was it.”
Eddie, 78 – real name Edward McGinnis – died on Thursday, four days after he tested positive for Covid-19.
Comedian Eddie Large and his old comedy partner (Image: Getty Images)
Patsy said: “At 4am the hospital rang to tell us he had passed away. We haven’t been able to see Eddie’s body since and I’m not sure if we’ll be allowed to.”
Patsy, married to the funnyman for 37 years, has been told only five people will be allowed to go to his funeral.
She continued: “Syd should really be there because he’s essentially a member of the family and he deserves to be there.
“Syd and Eddie were teenage friends and then worked together from 1963. He’s heartbroken.”
Eddie and Syd became one of Britain’s best-loved comedy duos in the 70s and 80s. Strict rules mean only Eddie’s widow, their son Ryan, 37, and Eddie’s two older daughters Samantha and Alison, from his first marriage, can attend. One of Eddie’s two remaining siblings will be there, too.
Patsy was married to the funnyman for 37 years
One of Eddie’s last meetings was with Kevin Keegan. Patsy says the comic was a big Manchester City fan and she hopes to scatter his ashes at their ground.
She told how Eddie had a heart transplant in 2003, fell ill at the end of January after having a heart attack before possibly suffering another in February.
Doctors had only given him weeks to live before the virus diagnosis.
She added: “When the paramedics saved Eddie in January it was amazing and I was so happy. But he looked so peaceful in that moment and, in a way, I wish they’d let him go really, because all the hurt and heartbreak and pain he’s gone through since was so hard on him.
“I’m going to miss him so much.”
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
