DUNCAN James has broken his silence after the death of pal Nikki Grahame last Friday following her life-long battle with anorexia.
The 43-year-old reflected on their friendship in a new interview and recalled how he “tried to encourage her” to eat after she went to support him in Chicago in 2018.
Speaking to OK! Magazine, he said: “She looked so thin then. I said, ‘You need to eat. Why are you so thin?’ And she said, ‘Oh stop nagging me!’ I said, ‘No, you’ve got to start to eat.’ And she said, ‘I’ve been battling this for years.'”
In light of her tragic passing, the Blue star said he “wished he’d known” that Nikki had been admitted to a specialist clinic as her “last hope” to get better, so that he could’ve tried to contact to her.
Duncan added: “It’s really sad because I wish I’d known. I wish someone had told me she was in a hospital. At least I could have tried to contact her and speak to her or at least say goodbye.
“That’s the sad thing when somebody that you’re fond of and you know and you care about when they die you don’t get a chance to say goodbye. That’s what was really hard.”
Duncan and Nikki first met after she left Big Brother in 2006. The pair went on to have a 15 year friendship – and even at one point Nikki considered using the singer as her sperm donor.
In September 2019, the reality TV icon had revealed her hopes for a baby using IVF – and had vowed to go through the process alone if she didn’t find a partner by 40.
When asked if she would consider pal Duncan as a sperm donor, the TV star admitted he’d be a good choice, especially since he’s already a dad to daughter Tianie-Finn.
Nikki, whose fertility was affected by her eating disorder, told new! magazine at the time: “Could you imagine?! How good would that be? I should send him a whatsapp”.
Earlier this week, Nikki’s friends reopened the charity appeal that helped fund her treatment so that fans can donate towards her funeral costs.
The 38-year-old Big Brother icon was admitted to a specialist clinic earlier this year as her “last hope” to get better, but she died last Friday following a three-decade battle with anorexia.
The fundraiser’s target was initially £25,000, with big-hearted celebs including Rylan Clark-Neal, Michelle Visage, and Vanessa Feltz each donating £500.
It has raised more than twice that so far, and additional funds will be used towards Nikki’s funeral costs and a charity helping those suffering from eating disorders.
