The death of Stuart Lubbock, a 31-year-old who was found dead in Michael Barrymore’s pool is the subject of a new Channel 4 documentary called Barrymore: The Body in the Pool.
Barrymore was once regarded as one of the most popular TV stars of his time.
He rose to fame appearing on family-friendly ITV shows like Strike It Rich, My Kind of People and Kids say the Funniest Things.
Barrymore’s career peaked between the 1980s and 1990s, and his success was largely credited to his then-wife, Cheryl Barrymore.
However, when paramedics were called to the home of the entertainer in 2001, his career came to a crashing halt.
Michael Barrymore and his wife Cheryl (Image: PA Archive/PA Images)
Sadly, a few years later his wife died of lung cancer in 2005, aged 56.
Who was Cheryl Barrymore?
Born Cheryl Cocklin in Essex in 1949, she was the daughter of a dress factory owner.
She had a dream to go into showbusiness, and became a dancer who performed at the London Palladium.
Cheryl danced with Dougie Squires’ Young Generation troupe, and on BBC’s The Rolf Harris Show.
She also recorded a single called My Heart’s Not In It.
Cheryl met Michael Barrymore in 1975 on the West End stage where Cheryl as a dancer.
Cheryl was largely credited for Michael Barrymore’s success (Image: Press Association)
They were both appearing at the Showboat Theatre Restaurant in Trafalgar Square.
Michael and Cheryl tied the knot in 1976, and were married for 21 years.
After getting married Cheryl became her husband’s manager, getting him a spot on the British TV talent show New Faces.
Barrymore went on to win, and under the careful watch of his wife, his career sky-rocketed.
She was credited to have guided him to stardom, before they divorced in 1997.
They marriage ended following the revelation Barrymore was gay, and after several attempts to keep their relationship going, they eventually split.
After splitting Cheryl moved to New Zealand, and they did not keep in touch.
Michael and Cheryl tied the knot in 1976 (Image: PA)
Despite their split, Barrymore maintained that he had been the love of her life.
He told Piers Morgan: “She was, absolutely. I don’t think I’ve loved anybody else like that. You are not together 18 years, never mind the ups and downs, nobody is.
“Nobody goes up the aisle thinking, ‘Oh I’ll be out of this in ten years.
“We all go in because we genuinely love the person for what they are as that person.”
Three years after the divorce Cheryl wrote a tell-all autobiography called Catch a Falling Star.
Michael and Cheryl were married for 21 years (Image: PA)
In the book, she accused her former husband of having problems with alcohol, gambling and depression.
In 2002, following the death of Lubbock, he admitted he was an alcohol addict.
Cheryl continued her talent career, managing former EastEnders actress Daniella Westbrook and Rebecca Loos.
Cheryl was diagnosed six weeks before she died, but reportedly kept her condition a secret from everyone apart from her close friends and family.
She died at St John and St Elizabeth Hospital in St John’s Wood, London on April 1, 2005.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
