Driving Home For Christmas singer Chris Rea left a huge sum to his wife in his final will as his fortune is revealed
Chris Rea’s final will has been revealed(Image: Getty Images)
Chris Rea ‘s final will and the huge sum he gave to his wife has been revealed.
The singer, famed for his festive hit Driving Home For Christmas, died just days before the festive season following a short illness. He had suffered from many health issues over the years, including issues with his kidney, diabetes as well as pancreatic cancer.
Court records have revealed that Chris left a whopping £14,435,894 to his wife Joan in his will. The amount, with taxes, debts and costs taken into account, meant the amount was reduced to £12,063,178.
His final gift of £12million went to his family, with it also being stipulated in the will that he’d like to be cremated. According to The Sun, any funds from his music being played on the radio in the future will also go to his wife.
Chris met Joan when they were teenagers and they were married for 57 years. They had two daughters together, Josephine and Julia.
A statement from his family at the time of his death read: “Singer/songwriter and guitarist, Chris Rea, passed away earlier today in hospital following a short illness. A statement on behalf of his wife and two children was released to the media this afternoon.
“It is with immense sadness that we announce the death of our beloved Chris. He passed away peacefully in hospital earlier today following a short illness, surrounded by his family.”
Reflecting on his health struggles before his death, he said: “1994, most incredibly successful year, Bing! Abcess on the colon, colostomy bag. They took away the pancreas, the duodenum, the gall bladder and the left quadrant of the liver. All gone.
“That too me, well, I have never really got over it. Type 1 Diabetic, I have to take 34 pills every day, and then, after all of that, my kidneys’ gone.” He joked that he had a “very good heart”.
Chris was also previously diagnosed with pancreatic cancer before having his pancreas removed in 2001. In 2016, he also suffered from a stroke in a string of many health battles over the years.
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