Friday 1 July 2022 08:21 AM Dame Deborah James documentary leaves viewers 'sobbing' trends now
The BBC's tribute documentary to Dame Deborah James has left viewers 'sobbing' after showing emotional family moments - including her dancing with her son and reacting with delight as her fundraising page hit £1million.
Dame Deborah James: The Last Dance retraced the mother-of-two's five-year battle with stage four bowel cancer - which she sadly lost on Tuesday - through the eyes of the friends that supported her.
The 30-minute programme also included private moments the late campaigner shared with her family - such as her reaction to her Bowelbabe fundraising page reaching £1million, receiving treatment and dancing with her son Hugo, 14, to Beauty and the Beast’s Tale As Old As Time.
Dame Deborah, a former deputy head teacher and mother to Hugo and 12-year-old Eloise with her husband Sebastien Bowen, was diagnosed with incurable bowel cancer in 2016. She lost her battle with cancer on Tuesday, her family announced, after weeks of receiving end-of-life care at her parents' Surrey home.
She set up the Bowelbabe Fund to raise awareness and fund clinical trials and research into personalised medicine - and had initially hoped to raise £250,000. On Wednesday evening, it reached the £7 million milestone after donations surged in the hours following her death.
The campaigner's closest friends led the emotional tributes to her in the documentary. Cancer activist Lauren Mahon, 37, who presented BBC's You, Me and the Big C with Dame Deborah and their late friend Rachael Bland, broke down as she said: 'I just love her so much'.
TV presenter Lorraine Kelly, who supported Dame Deborah's cancer awareness campaigns, called her late friend a 'smasher' and said she would always 'bounce back,' which is what made her death so 'difficult' to accept.
The BBC 's heart-breaking documentary in tribute to Dame Deborah James has left viewers 'sobbing' after showing emotional family moments - including her dancing with her son (pictured) and reacting with delight as her fundraising page hit £1million
In one of the family videos shown in the programme, Deborah is seen dancing with her young son shortly after her diagnosis in 2016 (pictured)
The 30-minute programme also included her reaction to her Bowel Babe fundraising page reaching £1million (above)
Cancer activist Lauren Mahon, 37, who presented BBC's You, Me and the Big C with Dame Deborah and their late friend Rachael Bland, broke down as she said: 'I just love her so much'
TV presenter Lorraine Kelly , who supported Dame Deborah's cancer awareness campaigns, called her late friend a 'smasher' and said she would always 'bounce back,' which is what made her death so 'difficult' to accept
Dame Deborah James: The Last Dance retraced the mother-of-two's battle with stage four bowel cancer, through the eyes of the friends that supported her
Viewers were left overcome with tears as they watched the documentary, with one person saying: 'Heart-breaking watch and a beautiful tribute to a beautiful person. Will miss her.'
'Just watched Dame Deborah James: The Last Dance. I'm sobbing. She was such an amazing person. What an inspiration. Life can be so cruel,' another individual wrote on Twitter.
During the programme, Lauren Mahon and Steve Bland, Rachael's widower, were overcome with emotion as they remembered their 'best-friend' and said they were 'incredibly grateful to have had her at all.'
As she wiped up her tears, Lauren made a heartfelt plea to keep raising money for cancer research, because 'we can't lose any more Debs.'
'Having relationship with people with cancer is really hard because you lose people,' Lauren said as she cried. 'There's people and there's Deborah and I can't help but be incredibly grateful that I had her at all.'
She added she wished the campaigner could see what she meant to 'so many'. 'I just love her so much. We need to keep raising money because we cant lose any more Debs,' she said.
Reaction: Social media users took to Twitter today to say they had been left in tears by the emotional programme
Steve Bland, who lost his wife Rachael to breast cancer in 2018, said Deborah was one of his best-friends, a 'brilliant mum', pictured left, while Lauren Mahon cried as she said she loved Dame Deborah and that having friendships with people with cancer is 'really hard', pictured right
After sharing her experiences on living with the illness on social media, Deborah became known as the 'Bowel Babe' and in 2018, she joined Lauren Mahon and Rachael Bland to present the award-winning podcast You, Me and the Big C on Radio 5 Live
Deborah (pictured, far left, with Lauren Mahon and, right, with her brother and his fiancée) was made a dame by the Duke of Cambridge at her family home, with William praising her for 'going above and beyond to make a very special memory'
The documentary showed footage the mother-of-two took during her fight with cancer as she discussed the impact treatment had over her daily life
Sweet pictures of Eloise, 12, and Hugo, 14, taken with Dame Deborah as they grew over the years were also shown in the heart-breaking footage
The documentary featured videos of Dame Debs dancing with her daughter Eloise during a family holiday in the sun, taken prior
The mother-of-two shared in the programme that the five years she had since her diagnosis allowed her to have more time with her kids
Deborah and Eloise dancing in her bedroom in the early days after her diagnosis. Dame Debs admitted she didn't allow herself to think she would make it to see her kids go to secondary school
Remembering her friend, with whom she co-hosted the You, Me and the Big C BBC podcast, Lauren said: 'Deb just has this ferocity in her to make a difference and to make sure nobody else suffers the same fate.
'Most people would just runaway from that, but Deb wanted to tell her story so it wouldn't be anyone's story. I'm really proud that we now talk about bums and poos on every channel.'
Lorraine Kelly, who met Dame Deborah through her campaigning efforts and launched No Butts campaign with her also remembered her friend.
'I was looking at somebody with stage four bowel cancer. She was absolutely immaculate, always was. beautiful hair and makeup and perfect,' she said.
'And I couldn't believe that I was with a girl who was living on borrowed time.
On May 9, the mother-of-two shared a heartbreaking 'goodbye' message to her 470,000 Instagram followers, revealing she was being moved into hospice-at-home care, while 'surrounded by family', because 'my body simply isn't playing ball'
'All she wanted to do was get this message across, make sure nobody else went through the same thing as her, make sure that everybody had the information that they needed and to stop people being stupid about their bottoms,' she added.
'That's what struck me. We started talking about bottoms and poo probably after 45 seconds when we met each other and I really just thought: "I really like you, you're my kind of woman, you're a smasher.'
'The thing about it is, and the thing that's so hard, is that she always bounced back, and I always thought that she would.
'And that's been very difficult because we just always thought she'd be here,' the presenter added.
Resilience: Deborah James pictured with her mother Heather James two months ago after one of her most recent operations
In recent weeks, Deborah made the most of her time, going for days out, which were exhausting due to her condition. However, she remained positive, and posted about how much she enjoyed outings, like this one to Royal Ascot
In 2018, Deborah (left) joined Lauren Mahon (front) and Rachael Bland (right) to present the award-winning podcast You, Me and the Big C on Radio 5 Live
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Steve Bland, who lost his wife Rachael to triple negative breast cancer in September 2018, was also among the people who remembered her in the emotional film.
'She's one of my best friend and someone who, if she ever thought I was having a tough time, she'd be the first one on the phone,' he said.
He added Dame Deborah was a ;really, really, really wonderful person someone that I'm so blessed to call a friend and so proud of.
'Aside from all the money raise which was incredible, she was a brilliant mum, a brilliant friend and we're gonna miss that so much.'
Reflecting on Debs' social media presence and her fight with cancer, he said: 'Deb would tell you that she used to get messages from people thinking that she would have it easy.
'They could see her dancing on Instagram and they thought "how could that person be dying" or "how could that person have incurable cancer?"
'They didn't always understand how difficult it was for her.'
Talking about how the campaigner received a Damehood from the Queen in her last says, he said: 'the damehood was extraordinary, even by Debs standard, we didn't see that one coming.
'She's always been a dame, just without the title.'
BBC presenter Gaby Roslin, who was a close friend of Deborah said she couldn't think of her without 'her laughing and dancing and singing.
'She did that the first day I met her. Cancer didn't stop her having fun. She showed that through her dancing, through her sassiness. I loved her dancing,' she added.
Gaby talked of how Dame Deborah was 'overwhelmed' by people's reaction to the Bowelbabe Fund.
'And those three cancer charity that she felt so strongly about are going to get that injection of money because of Debs and I'm sure wherever she is she singing and dancing away.
'Knowing Debs that is exactly what she's doing. With the biggest smile on her face,' she added.
Emma Campbell, who has breast cancer and appeared in several of Deborah's dancing videos, also remembered her friend as a 'sexy' and confident woman.
'There is only one person who can get me to dance and it's Deborah,' she joked.
'Deborah was an incredibly beautiful and sexy woman and I loved the way and was so impressed by the way she showed that side of herself and she didn't ever shy away from it and if she felt like dancing around in a sexy underwear, she did, it's just brilliant,' she added.
'And the essence of Deborah has always been that kind of radiance and that life force and that spirit.
'The more I spent time with Debs and the more I observed the way she faced it, you couldn't help being in her company or observe her and think "if she can do it, maintain that determination to live a big and brave and bold life, then so can I".
'She made a choice to document the good, the bad and the ugly,' she added, 'that's what is so important for other people who are facing a diagnosis or might be going through something similar.
'To share the skin reaction which was so painful and upsetting for her. The steroid high at 3am, doing an Instagram live because she couldn't sleep.
'The inbox being flooded from other people lying awake for whatever reason at that time.
'When you're going through a cancer experience, connection is everything, it can mean the difference between just surviving it or actually somehow living through it with moments of relief or even enjoying it at times,' she added.
BBC journalist George Alagiah, journalist, who has stage four bowel cancer said Dame Deborah was among the 'limited number of people' he could talk to about his illness.
'For all of us living with cancer, we're all aware, we don't want to become a burden, we don't want to burden people too much.
'There is a limited number of people you can talk to, and Deborah James is one of those as I found out.
'To share my dilemmas, my fear, my wanting to cry with someone who had gone through that and was going through it that in itself was a kind of solace,' he added.
'Sharing is hugely important. When my moment came, I was looking for someone like Deborah James to talk to,' the presenter, who was diagnosed in 2014, said.
In January 2020, she had explained that scans showed she had no evidence of cancer in her body at that point - with doctors suggesting she was 'rewriting the textbook' - but in April 2021, she revealed her cancer was back again
Despite ongoing cancer treatments over the last few years, Deborah continued living life to the full, holidaying with her family and dancing in the rain
The former headteacher (pictured right, with children Eloise, 12, Hugo, 14 and husband Sebastien Bowen) was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2016
The cancer-fighting charity set up by Dame Deborah James has smashed the £7million milestone a day after her death was announced as Prince William leads tributes praising the fundraiser as 'an inspiration whose legacy will live on'.
The Bowelbabe fund saw a surge in donations, pushing past £6.8m in the hours after it was revealed the 40-year-old mother-of-two had lost her battle with the disease and has now passed £7million and continues to rise.
In her final weeks, the presenter of the BBC podcast You, Me And The Big C raised the huge amount of cash for research and was made a dame for her 'tireless' work improving awareness of the disease.
Dame Deborah became a patron for Bowel Cancer UK following her diagnosis and worked to raise money and awareness of the charity. All donations will be used to fund causes that were close to Deborah's heart including funding clinical trials and raising awareness of bowel cancer with the help of Cancer Research UK.
Its chief executive Genevieve Edwards said her legacy would live on through her campaigning work and that she had a 'special gift' to connect with the public which showed with the sheer volume of donations from the public.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge led tributes to Dame Deborah today and called her an 'inspirational and unfalteringly brave woman whose legacy will live on'.
Prince William cleared his diary and travelled to her parents' home in Woking, Surrey, in mid-May to perform an honours ceremony at a tea party celebrating her extraordinary life.
Dame Deborah James dedicated the last five years of her life to raising awareness about bowel cancer in the hope of saving lives.
Before her death was announced by her family, the London-based campaigner and mother-of-two fought hard to bring attention to the condition.
Even as her health was decreasing and as she was multiplying trips to the hospital for treatments, the former deputy head teacher put all her heart into her campaigning, from dancing dressed a poo to hosting her BBC podcast You, Me, and the Big C.
Throughout her campaigning efforts, Dame Deborah stressed that knowing about the symptoms of bowel cancer before her diagnosis could have saved her life.
Here, Femail highlights the symptoms of bowel cancer the inspiring Dame wanted you to know about.
Here, Femail highlights the symptoms of bowel cancer the inspiring Dame Deborah James wanted you to know about. Bleeding from the bottom, blood in stool, a change in bowel habits that last at least three weeks, unexplained weight loss, unexplained fatigue and abdominal pain could all be symptoms of the disease
Change in bowel habits and blood in the stool
Bowel cancer affects the large bowel, which is made of the colon and rectum, and is one of the most common types of cancer to be diagnosed in the UK.
The first symptom to look out for is blood in your poo. If it happens for no reason and is accompanied by a change in bowel habits, you should make sure to contact your GP about it.
Even if you don't find blood in your poo, you should contact your GP if you notice a change is toilet habits, such as needing the toilet more frequently, or a change in the consistency of your poo, especially if it becomes runny.
Some people with bowel cancer report they've felt the need to go to the toilet more often, and never felt like it did the job.
Bowel obstruction
If you feel like your bowels are always full, it could be another sign of cancer, because it could indicate a tumour is filling up the space in your lower abdomen.
In some cases, bowel cancer can cause bowel obstruction, which translates to abdominal pain after eating, feeling sick and abdominal swelling.
The NHS recommends that If you have any of these symptoms for three weeks or more, you should seek medical advice from a GP.
Abdominal pain
Persistent lower abdominal pain is another one of the main symptoms of bowel cancer. Always brought on by eating, the painful sensation occurs often and can be accompanied by bloating and the sensation of bowel being full.
Some people experienced reduced appetite as a result of this severe to extreme pain. While not all abdominal pain is a sign of bowel cancer, if the pain persists, you should contact your GP.
Unexpected weight loss
Unexpected and unexplained weight loss is another symptom to look for, as it might be a sign that the cancer cells are using more of your energy.
This is because the immune system works hard to fight the diseased cells. However, weight loss can also be caused by the change of toilet habits. If you've lost 10lbs or more within six months, and there's no explanation, it is advised to flag it to your GP.
Fatigue
Constant and extreme fatigue is another possible symptom of bowel cancer. This is because fighting off the cancerous cell takes the body's energy, but it can be a consequence of the stress the change of toilet habits cause of the body.
While feeling tired is common, chronic fatigue does not go away, even after a period of rest, and is often linked to an underlying condition that should be explored with a GP. This fatigue can also cause shortness of breath after very light actions such as walking or laughing.
Diagnosis and prognosis
According to Bowel Cancer UK figures, more than 41,200 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer every year in the UK.
While it mostly affects people in their 60s, bowel cancer can happen to anyone, which is why checking for symptoms is vital. Treatment usually involves surgery, and chemo- and radiotherapy.
According to a 2019 ONS study, more than nine out of 10 people with stage one bowel cancer survive five years or more after their diagnosis.
These odds are slashed to 10 in 100 by the time the cancer has reached stage four. This is why catching the cancer in its tracks early on could help secure a better prognosis.
What are the risk factors for developing bowel cancer?
Age
One of the biggest factor is age, because the disease largely affects people in their 60s. If you are over 50, you are more at risk of developing the cancer.
Family history
Your risk of having bowel cancer is also heightened if one of your close relatives had it. This applies to first degree relative, such as mother or father, brother or sister. The risk increases further is more than one of your relatives was diagnosed with the condition.
This is because about five to 10 per cent of all bowel cancer cases are thought to be caused by a change in a known gene. If a relative shares the same change gene, they might be more at risk to develop the cancer as well.
Polyps
Having a history of developing polyps - small growths - in the abdomen is also a risk factor for bowel cancer. Polyps are benign and are very common, affecting one in four people aged 50 or over.
Some polyps disappear on their own, but others can be surgically removed. It is believed removing the polyps is one of the best way to prevent them turning into cancer.
While most polyps don't turn out to be cancerous, some can turn into cancer if they are not removed, which is why screening for polyps is important.
Crohn's Disease and gut health
Research found that there might be a link between Crohn's Disease and bowel cancer. This is because diseases like Crohn's or Inflammatory Bowel Disease create an inflammatory reaction in the bowels that could lead to the development of abnormal cells.
Research has always found that eating a lot of red meat and processed food - especially processed meat - will increase your risk of developing bowel cancer.
It is also more common for overweight or obese people to get bowel cancer, which is why it is thought that an unhealthy lifestyle is a risk factor for the disease.
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The devastated family Dame Deborah has left behind: Husband who was her 'rock', her 'unsung hero' father and the mother who 'relentlessly nursed' her - as she wrote letters for her children, 14 and 12, so their memories won't fade
BBC podcast presenter Dame Deborah James was surrounded by her close family as she passed away at the age of 40 following her five-year battle with bowel cancer.
The former deputy head teacher turned cancer campaigner, from west London, was diagnosed with bowel cancer in December 2016, and was told early on that she might not live beyond five years - a milestone that passed in the autumn of 2021.
Sharing the news of her death to Instagram last night, her loved ones wrote: 'We are deeply saddened to announce the death of Dame Deborah James; the most amazing wife, daughter, sister, mummy. Deborah passed away peacefully today, surrounded by her family.'
Deborah, parent to Hugo, 14, and Eloise, 12, with her husband Sebastien, had been spending the last few weeks at her parents home in Woking, where she passed away.
She was joined by her mother Heather and her father Alistair, as well as her brother Ben, who recently announced his engagement to his long-term girlfriend Ashley Hall, and her sister Sarah.
Deborah said she has written letters for her children to help them with their first dates and wedding days, and planned to buy Hugo 'a nice pen or wallet or cufflinks' and Eloise 'Tiffany bracelets and earrings' to remember her - as well as some presents and postcards from her for the future.
And her funeral is also planned where she will be cremated, but she said she hoped her ashes will be kept in the family kitchen 'for a while' before being scattered.
Here FEMAIL reveals the devastated relatives Deborah has left behind...
BBC podcast presenter Dame Deborah James was surrounded by her close family, including her husband Sebastien, as she passed away at the age of 40 following her five-year battle with bowel cancer yesterday (pictured together)
In March, the cancer campaigner was allowed out of hospital on day release to spend her final Mother's Day with her family (pictured left to right, Deborah James, her mother Heather James, father Alistair, her unnamed niece, husband Sebastien sister Sarah, a second unnamed niece, her brother-in-law, her brother's girlfriend Ashley, her son Hugo and her brother Ben). The tight-knit group are believed to have been by Deborah's side when she died
The mother-of-two had often spoken of her sadness that she wouldn't see her children Hugo, 14, and Eloise, 12, growing up (pictured together)
Meanwhile her parents Heather (left) and Alistair (right) offered endless support to their daughter throughout her cancer battle, even opening their Woking bungalow to her to receive end-of-life care
The loyal husband who's been Deborah James's 'backbone': Banker Sebastien Bowen danced BBC podcaster 'back into the light' in her darkness moments - after cancelling their divorce weeks before her cancer diagnosis
He was the man she called her 'rock', her 'blanket' and her 'very backbone' after cancer made Deborah James realise how 'special' the connection she shared with her banker husband Sebastien was.
But if things had worked out differently, the BBC podcaster, 40, would have faced her five-year cancer battle as a single woman.
The pair, who married in July 2008, and shared son Hugo, 14, and daughter, Eloise, 12, were in the midst of divorce proceedings in 2016, before rekindling their relationship a month before Deborah's diagnosis of incurable bowel cancer.
But the 'bowel babe' urged her City banker husband, 42, to find love after her death, with the caveat: 'Don't be taken for a ride, don't marry a bimbo'.
Sebastien will now face raising their two children alone, while balancing his career as a banker.
Deborah James (left) is pictured on her July 2008 wedding day to banker Sebastien Bowen
The pair, who married in July 2008, and shared son Hugo, 14, and daughter, Eloise, 12, and were set to split in 2016 before rekindling their romance shortly before Deborah's diagnosis of bowel cancer. They are pictured on their anniversary in 2009
Before her diagnosis, Deborah was an ambitious deputy head teacher who'd been brought in to turn around a failing comprehensive in Surrey.
It meant she and Sebastien, were always stressed and barely saw each other. 'It was a classic case of our marriage coming last,' she told the Daily Mail in 2020.
The death of podcast host and mother-of-two Deborah James at the age of 40 was announced by her family on Instagram
We are deeply saddened to announce the death of Dame Deborah James; the most amazing wife, daughter, sister, mummy. Deborah passed away peacefully today, surrounded by her family.
Deborah, who many of you will know as Bowelbabe, was an inspiration and we are incredibly proud of her and her work and commitment to charitable campaigning, fundraising and her endless efforts to raise awareness of cancer that touched so many lives.
Deborah shared her experience with the world to raise awareness, break down barriers, challenge taboos and change the conversation around cancer. Even in her most challenging moments, her determination to raise money and awareness was inspiring.
We thank you for giving us time in private as a family, and we look forward to continuing Deborah’s legacy long into the future through the
Thank you for playing your part in her journey, you are all incredible.
And a few final things from Deborah…“find a life worth enjoying; take risks; love deeply; have no regrets; and always, always have rebellious hope. And finally, check your poo – it could just save your life.” x
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Sebastien moved out in 2015 and they embarked on an initially 'acrimonious' divorce, both hiring lawyers and starting to see other people. Deborah even went on some 'hideous' Tinder dates.
They'd already had the decree nisi when they agreed to counselling, not with any hope of a reconciliation, but simply to be on more cordial terms for the children.
Then, to Deborah's astonishment, the pair began having drinks, then dinner, after the sessions.
In November 2016, they made 'a big step' and got back together, only for Deborah to receive her shock diagnosis soon after.
'Some days I crave the attention, just wanting to feel desired,' she told the Daily Mail.
'Other days, my husband can't sneeze near me without getting his head bitten off. Understandably navigating that — for both of us — is hard.'
However, she said, 'One of the good things about cancer is it makes you reassess your relationship. It's crunch time. You think: 'Do I really want to be with this person?' And if you don't, then it's 'Bye!' as life really is short.
'But cancer can also make you realise how special your connection is, and that's where we are: in a good place.'
The University of Edinburgh graduate works for Pomona Capital, a Mayfair-based private equity firm and previously was a director at MetLife Investments.
In August, Deborah shared a sweet video of the pair dancing together in the South of France with a sweet caption thanking her husband for 'holding her hand in the darkness and dancing her back into the light'.
She wrote: '13 Years of marriage. My Rock. It was our wedding anniversary earlier this week. Some days the weight of what that means in an uncertain future can be too much.
'Then it's the closing of new day. A new day you are grateful to see. A new day you didn't think you'd feel well in. And you dance. As your lids laugh and film. The sun sets, and you realise how wonderful it is to reach another milestone (and you park the sadness).
'And you smile. And you are at one in the moment only. Because for any of us that's all we ever have anyway. And you give thanks to have people in your life that are the very back bone you remain upright on.
'Sebastien - Thank you for holding my hand in the darkness and dancing me back into the light. I love you. Always'.
Writing on his 40th birthday in 2019, Deborah shared this sweet picture and wrote: 'Happy 40th to this brilliant man. So proud of you. Thanks for being my rock and my blanket. For being there in sickness, in health, in the fun times and the bad times. We love you'
Bowel babe' urged her City banker beau to find love after her death, with the caveat: 'Don't be taken for a ride, don't marry a bimbo'. They are pictured dancing on their anniversary in the south of France
Sebastien moved out in 2015 and they embarked on an initially 'acrimonious' divorce, both hiring lawyers and starting to see other people. Deborah even went on some 'hideous' Tinder dates, but later rekindled their romance
In November 2016, they made 'a big step' and got back together, only for Deborah to receive her shock diagnosis soon after. They are pictured at a festival
Sebastien will now face raising their two children alone, while balancing his career as a banker. The University of Edinburgh graduate works for Pomona Capital, a Mayfair-based private equity firm and previously was a director at MetLife Investments. They are pictured on holiday
Sebastien, who attended the £13,788-a-term St Paul's School in west London has an impressive career with 20 years of primary and secondary fund investing experience
The couple often celebrated their anniversary and took moments to be romantic.
In 2019, Deborah shared a sweet picture of the pair kissing at a London bar writing: '11 years ago today we 'officially' got married.
'We then had our wedding a few weeks later in France so we normally celebrate then and @sebastienbowen always remembers the correct date (it's the 26th!!)- but any excuse for a nice meal and a cheeky snog?!
'I don't do cheesy declarations very well - but I love this man very much so. Thanks for being my rock.'
The couple often celebrate their anniversary and take moments to be romantic (pictured in the south of France)
On another occasion she shared a picture of the pair kissing in Kew Gardens with the caption: '12 years ago I said yes in this same spot'.
She often posted sweet pictures and tributes to her husband on social media, on his 40th birthday in 2019 she wrote: 'Happy 40th to this brilliant man. So proud of you. Thanks for being my rock and my blanket. For being there in sickness, in health, in the fun times and the bad times. We love you''
On another occasion she shared a picture of the pair kissing in Kew Gardens with the caption: '12 years ago I said yes in this same spot'.
Sebastien, who attended the £13,788-a-term St Paul's School in west London has an impressive career with 20 years of primary and secondary fund investing experience.
How her parent's love kept Deborah James going:
