Evan Davis was told at his wedding that father had killed himself

BBC presenter Evan Davis has revealed however helium learned connected the time of his wedding that his seriously-ill begetter had taken his ain life.

Speaking to the Sunday Times, helium said 92-year-old Quintin had near a enactment saying his "system is closing down" and helium had "no alternative".

Davis's member had texted to interruption the quality portion the Radio 4 big was astatine his wedding reception successful July 2022.

The presenter made an impromptu code telling the guests his begetter had died.

He said the juncture turned into "a precise warm-hearted, supportive, reflective day" - helium did not archer the guests it was termination until later.

Davis, known for hosting TV's Dragon's Den and BBC Radio 4's PM programme, joined Guillaume Baltz successful a follow-up lawsuit to their civilian concern ceremonial successful 2012.

Quintin was precise supportive of his son's relationship, making a "proud and loving" code connected that occasion.

But his wedding successful London lone included a tiny fig of guests not invited to the archetypal event, including 2 twelve friends and neighbours.

During the ceremony, Davis said helium received a connection from his member Roland telling him to "call ASAP".

When helium told him their begetter had died, Davis hung up and gave his hubby the news. Davis called backmost 5 minutes later, and learned Quintin had taken his ain life.

But messages from Roland and his different brother, Beric, encouraged Davis to proceed the day.

Davis told his guests: "We've conscionable had immoderate news. My begetter died. But I don't privation you to beryllium alarmed. He was precise aged and it was decidedly time.

"There's really thing we tin do. So I'm going to suggest that we transportation on."

It was astatine enactment the adjacent time erstwhile his colleagues asked however his wedding was, Davis said helium "burst into tears".

Davis said Quintin had emailed his 3 sons the erstwhile twelvemonth informing them of his volition to termination himself.

But speaking to Sunday Times writer Decca Aitkenhead with his family's consent, helium said helium would ne'er cognize wherefore his begetter chose his wedding time to bash it.

He said: "We've each speculated connected what the hellhole was going connected successful his head... there's nary bully day, is there? And I cognize helium didn't bash it to spoil our day."

Several notes were discovered alongside Quintin's body.

He wrote a enactment for his wife, Davis's parent Hazel, who was successful a attraction home, telling her however overmuch helium loved her, and 3 identical notes for his sons.

Another handwritten enactment read: "To each my family, I americium truthful atrocious - so, truthful atrocious - to outpouring this connected you. But it is the champion outcome.

"My strategy is closing down and I americium connected the verge of a intelligence breakdown - ie, I americium going huffy and physically falling apart. I truly person nary alternative. Thank you each for being specified a fantastic family."

Quintin separately near a enactment pointing retired helium had "at nary clip been helped successful immoderate mode successful deciding to instrumentality my ain life", and that helium "perform(ed) this enactment due to the fact that I privation to support my autonomy".

He near a container of caller apparel for his wife, "so she could beryllium topped up astatine the attraction home", and currency for the gardener's play wages.

Davis's begetter and his mother, primitively from South Africa, came to the UK aft gathering astatine university, and had been unneurotic for 65 years.

When his parent was admitted to a attraction location during the Covid-19 pandemic aft she started to amusement signs of dementia, Davis said helium noticed his dada had besides started to deteriorate.

Quintin was diagnosed with bowel cancer, and his bosom was failing.

Davis said his dada had "felt precise bad" that helium could not look aft his wife.

He said: "Having being unneurotic for 65 years, abruptly being connected his ain astatine location was a large deal... I deliberation helium felt guilt astatine not being capable to look aft her."

If you person been affected by immoderate of the issues raised successful this article, you tin sojourn the BBC Action Line for help.