Denise Robertson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Denise Robertson MBE, DL
Robertson at Durham railway station in November 2015
Born	Margaret Denise Mary Broderick (1932-06-09)9 June 1932 Sunderland, County Durham, England
Died	31 March 2016(2016-03-31) (aged 83) Royal Marsden Hospital London, England
Resting place	Sunderland Cemetery
Nationality	British
Occupation	Writer, television broadcaster, agony aunt
Years active	1985–2016
Employer	ITV
Known for	Agony aunt role on This Morning
Spouse(s)	Alexander Inkster "Alex" Robertson (m. 1960–1972, his death) John "Jack" Tomlin (m. 1973–1995, his death) Bryan Thubron (m. 1997–2016; her death)
Children	1

Denise Robertson MBE DL (born 9 June 1932 – died 31 March 2016) was a well-known British writer and TV personality. She was famous for giving advice on television.

Denise first appeared on TV in 1985 on the BBC show Breakfast Time. She became best known as the "agony aunt" on the ITV show This Morning. An agony aunt is someone who gives advice to people about their problems. She was on the show from its very first day in 1988 until she passed away.

Throughout her career, Denise helped many people. She answered over 200,000 letters from viewers who needed her advice. In 2006, she was given an award called the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for her work in broadcasting.

Denise's Early Life

Denise Robertson was born Margaret Denise Mary Broderick on 9 June 1932. She grew up in Sunderland, County Durham, England. She was the younger of two daughters. Her father, Herbert, had a shipping business that unfortunately failed before she was born. Denise went to Sunderland High School.

Her Career in Media

Denise started her working life as a clerk at Sunderland Royal Infirmary. She then became a medical secretary and later a counsellor. She won a competition held by the BBC for writing a play. This led to her becoming an agony aunt on Metro Radio in Newcastle.

Besides This Morning, Denise also had her own TV show called Dear Denise in 2000. She also gave advice on love and relationships for another show called Dave Gorman's Important Astrology Experiment in 2002. Denise had an advice website, DearDenise.com, and wrote a monthly column for Candis magazine. She also appeared regularly on Channel 5's Big Brother's Bit on the Side.

Denise's Personal Life

Denise Robertson was married three times. Her first husband was Alexander Inkster "Alex" Robertson. They married in 1960 and had a son named Mark. Alex passed away in 1972.

In 1973, she married John "Jack" Tomlin. Jack died in 1995. Later, in 1997, Denise married her childhood friend, Bryan Thubron.

Denise was a big fan of the football team Sunderland A.F.C.. She also worked with the University of Sunderland, often speaking at their graduation ceremonies. She lived in East Boldon, which is near Sunderland.

Awards and Recognition

In 1998, Denise was made a Deputy Lieutenant of County Durham. This is an honorary role. She was also given the Freedom of the City of Sunderland in 2006.

In the same year, she received the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) award. This was for her important contributions to broadcasting and charity work.

Her Passing

Denise Robertson passed away on 31 March 2016, at the age of 83. She died at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London. Earlier in 2016, she had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

She shared her diagnosis publicly in February 2016 on This Morning. After her death, This Morning aired a special show on 1 April 2016 to remember her. Her funeral was held on 13 April 2016 in Sunderland, where she was also buried.

Denise on Television

Denise Robertson appeared in many TV shows throughout her career. Here are some of them:

Books by Denise Robertson

Denise Robertson was also a writer. She wrote several books, including:

• Don't Cry Aloud (2015)
• Winds of War (2009)
• None To Make You Cry (2009)
• The Promise (2008)
• The Second Wife (2008)
• Agony? Don't Get Me Started... (Her autobiography, 2006)
• The Bad Sister (2005)
• Relax It's Only a Baby (2005)
• Men Are From Earth. Women Are From Earth.: Deal with It! (2005)
• Sir Tom Cowie, A True Entrepreneur: A Biography (2004)
• A Relative Freedom
• Wait For the Day
• The Beloved People (Belgate Trilogy 1) (2004)
• Strength for the Morning (Belgate Trilogy 2) (2004)
• Towards Jerusalem (Belgate Trilogy 3) (2005)
• A Year of Winter (1986)
• The Land of Lost Content (1985)
• Blue Remembered Hills (1987)