Presenter Stacey Dooley pictured alongside Jemma, her husband Clive and three children during the filming of their episode (Photo: UKTV)
Jemma was diagnosed with Stage 4 ovarian cancer in 2021 and last year featured on episode three in series three of Dooley’s UKTV series ‘Stacey Dooley Sleeps Over’, in which she told the Strictly Come Dancing star about her battle with the illness.
In the episode titled Mum Fighting the Clock, Stacey is seen getting emotional as the Co Tyrone mum describes being told in August 2016 that she had ovarian cancer when she was pregnant with her second child.
The type of ovarian cancer that Jemma battled is so rare it is believed to be the first case of its kind in the UK.
After a tumour was removed while she was 17 weeks pregnant, Jemma was able to give birth to her daughter, however she and her husband Clive later found out when she was pregnant with her third child, that her cancer had returned.
In May 2021, she received the devastating news that there was nothing more doctors here could do and on Thursday, via a family statement, it was announced Jemma had died surrounded by her family.
“Just heartbreaking,” wrote Dooley on her Instagram stories, and shared a picture of her sitting with the McGowan family during the filming of the episode.
“Jemma was a joy to work alongside and we continued our relationship as pals. I’m thinking of her Clive and her gorgeous babies.”
Dooley made the tribute just hours before the new series of the programme Jemma appeared on returned for a fourth series.
The new episodes, which air on the W channel via UKTV, focus on the television presenter herself as she handles motherhood following the birth of her first child with dancer Kevin Clifton.
Brave Jemma McGowan who has lost her battle from cancer
“Fly high darlin’.”
She also shared a photograph of the screen from the new series which contained a special tribute after it aired, which read ‘In Memory of Jemma McGowan’.
In an announcement of her death, the Omagh mum was described as “lovingly remembered by the entire family circle” while local MPs and councillors also paid tribute to her.
Jemma’s funeral will take place at Cappagh Parish Church on Sunday afternoon.
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