Good Morning Britain presenter Piers Morgan has led the tributes to Captain Tom Moore, branding him as a “national hero” in the wake of his death.
Everyone from Prime Minister Boris Johnson to the Queen of England has since paid their respects to the late war veteran, praising his charitable spirit and generosity.
Having raised millions for the NHS during the coronavirus pandemic, Sir Tom sadly contracted the virus earlier this year and was hospitalised in mid-January.
On Tuesday, February 2, his daughters confirmed his death, revealing his family had used video calls to stay by his side in his final hours.
Piers, who hosted a Life Stories session with the remarkable war veteran last year, was one of the first to honour Sir Tom’s legacy on Tuesday afternoon.
Sir Captain Tom had previously detailed his life during an appearance on Piers Morgan’s Life Stories (Image: ITV)
Taking to Twitter, he shared an image of Captain Tom carrying out his fundraising campaign for the NHS, remarking on his “courage” in the face of the pandemic.
Paying his respects, Piers wrote: “RIP Captain Sir Tom Moore, 100. A magnificent man. A national hero.
“In our darkest hour since WW2, he rallied Britain with his resilience, courage and optimism. Let us all heed his mantra in our own lives: ‘Tomorrow will be a good day.’ Thank you, Tom.”
Piers got behind Captain Tom’s campaign on Good Morning Britain during the first nationwide lockdown, urging viewers to donate to the remarkable cause.
Pier branded Captain Tom as a “national hero” in a heartfelt tribute shared on Tuesday (Image: ITV)
Gaining a huge following nationwide, the centenarian completed 100 laps of his garden to mark the onset of his 100th birthday, as Piers called for his knighthood.
Months later, Piers invited him to appear on his Life Stories chat show, discussing his experience of the war and sharing the story of his life in emotional scenes.
After filming the interview, Piers commended Captain Tom, writing: “In the hot seat. What a life, what a story. Captain Sir Tom Moore.”
Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, also shared a poignant statement, having awarded Captain Tom with the insignia of Knight Bachelor during a ceremony at Windsor Castle last year.
Queen Elizabeth II awarded Captain Sir Thomas Moore with the insignia of Knight Bachelor (Image: Getty Images)
The statement read: “Her Majesty very much enjoyed meeting Captain Sir Tom and his family at Windsor last year.”
Having touched a number of lives with his bravery and spirit, everyone from reality stars to politicians thanked Captain Tom for his contribution to charity after learning of his passing.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Captain Sir Tom “became not just a national inspiration but a beacon of hope for the world” and was a “hero in the truest sense of the word”.
I’m A Celeb’s Vernon Kay, singer Michael Ball and model Kelly Brook were just some of the names in the entertainment industry paying their respects to the late hero.
Amanda Holden also remembered Captain Tom, praising his humour (Image: ITV)
Having recently praised his heroism on This Morning, presenter Holly Willoughby kept her tribute low-key, simply sharing his photo with a broken-heart emoji.
Britain’s Got Talent judge Amanda Holden also shared her condolences with Captain Tom’s family, remembering his “sense of humour” in the wake of his death.
Sharing an image of Captain Tom doing fundraising for the NHS, Amanda reflected on his heroism and charm, sending her love to his nearest and dearest.
2020 saw Captain Tom invested as a Knight Bachelor at Windsor Castle (Image: Samir Hussein/WireImage)
She said: “Goodbye to this absolute joy of a man. @captainsirtom.
A National Hero who brought us all together and shone so much light in such a dark time. .. his indomitable spirit and sense of humour taught us so much. .. and will live on thanks to the enormous legacy left behind . My love goes out to your wonderful family ..”
“Thank you Captain Sir Tom Moore,” wrote Kelly Brook, adding to the stream of emotional celebrity tributes.
“You gave us hope and optimism during the most difficult of times. Your courage and generosity of sprit will be remembered forever. Such a heartbreaking day RIP our Hero.”
Holly Willoughby similarly paid her respects to Captain Tom Moore (Image: ITV)
And singer Myleene Klass, who recently left the Dancing On Ice 2021 line-up, added: “What a legacy to leave behind. RIP Captain Sir Tom. Thank you.”
Sir Tom’s daughters Hannah Ingram-Moore and Lucy Teixeira confirmed his death in a statement shared on Tuesday afternoon, announcing the news “with great sadness”.
Their statement read: “We are so grateful that we were with him during the last hours of his life; Hannah, Benjie and Georgia by his bedside and Lucy on FaceTime.
Captain Sir Tom Moore has died aged 100 (Image: PA)
“We spent hours chatting to him, reminiscing about our childhood and our wonderful mother. We shared laughter and tears together.”
Hannah and Lucy also reminisced over their father’s 100th year, which saw him rise to prominence as a national treasure thanks to his charitable deeds.
Their statement continued: “The last year of our father’s life was nothing short of remarkable. He was rejuvenated and experienced things he’d only ever dreamed of.
“Whilst he’d been in so many hearts for just a short time, he was an incredible father and grandfather, and he will stay alive in our hearts forever.”
Sir Tom’s family went on to praise the NHS for their hard work in caring for their father in his final weeks, and asked for privacy in the wake of his passing.
As the family remember a truly remarkable man, we’re asking Daily Star Online readers to pay their respects here.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
