However it turned out to be a very honourable, real person. A family man who had lived a wonderful, full and happy life. His death was inevitable, and surrounded by his family, he kindly let the cameras film those sad, final days.
Presented with care, and informative at all times and far from the scandal and controversy that the tabloids screamed from their front pages. The endless scandal and controversy that those same tabloids thrive upon.
There was none of that here, this was a quality programme that the gutter press could only dream of being able to replicate.
Gerald was an everyday man who had kindly let us into this, the most private time of his life, in those few minutes of conversation in the programme he showed more respect and humility than most would show in their lives. A man that you wished you had known and knew you never would.
A man who was given a good innings of 84 years but was awaiting the end at the hands of that most foul of diseases, Cancer.
Yet despite being frightened of the end coming, he was more than willing to look back on his fulfilled life with us and share those precious memories.
Presented with such understatement by the BBC, this was never sensationalist television.
I raise a glass to you Gerald wherever you now may be.
I understand that Channel 4 and 5 are currently fighting over the rights to show a live embalming programme with Keith Chegwin. I can only hope he isn't just presenting the show.
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