Tom Parker's widow Kelsey hits back at trolls amid new relationship

by · Mail Online

Tom Parker's widow Kelsey has hit back at trolls after going public with new boyfriend Will - two years after The Wanted star's death. 

The mother of two, 33, told of how the late singer would 'want me to be happy' after she received awful messages when she took her wedding ring off. 

Earlier this week, Kelsey shared a snap of her new partner to her Instagram, and simply captioned the post with a heart emoji.

Kelsey became a widow in March 2022 when her husband Tom - best known as a member of The Wanted - died after battle with brain cancer aged just 33.

Two years later she has revealed she is in a new relationship with her tree-surgeon partner, who she met while she was fundraising in honour of her late husband.

Tom Parker's widow Kelsey has hit back at trolls after going public with new boyfriend Will - two years after The Wanted star's death (pictured in January)
The mother of two, 33, told of how the late singer would 'want me to be happy' after she shared a snap of her new partner to her Instagram, and simply captioned the post with a heart emoji

In lines from her new book, Kelsey Parker: With And Without You, obtained by The Sun, Kelsey reflected on her journey with grief and finding love again. 

She explained: 'I’ve got to a stage in my grief journey where I’ve let that guilt go. Tom would want me to be happy.' 

Kelsey went on to date electrician Sean Boggans in November 2022 following her husband's death the previous March, although they ended up splitting for good in December 2023 after an on-off relationship. 

Addressing her time with Sean, she said: 'At that point in my healing journey, I needed someone to give me what my family and friends couldn’t – I craved company in the evenings – but, more than anything, I didn’t want to be treated like a widow.

'Earlier this year, I decided to take my wedding ring off, and the trolling started again. I took my ring off because, for me, it was too painful to look at it every day. It doesn’t mean I’m forgetting Tom.' 

The last Tom Parker Charity Football Match took place on June 16, Father's Day. It is not known if that's when she met her new boyfriend, Will. 

Last year, Kelsey said that she knew her late husband Parker would 'send the right man for her,' weeks before she revealed her new romance. 

In an interview with OK! Magazine back in June, Kelsey shared that she knows Parker will 'send the right man for her.'

Kelsey became a widow in March 2022 when her husband Tom - best known as a member of The Wanted - died after battle with brain cancer aged just 33 (Tom pictured with their children children Bodhi and Aurelia)
Two years later she has revealed she is in a new relationship with her tree-surgeon partner, who she met while she was fundraising in honour of her late husband (pictured at the Tom Parker charity football match in June)
She explained: 'I’ve got to a stage in my grief journey where I’ve let that guilt go. Tom would want me to be happy'

She said: 'When it's meant to be, it'll be, and that person will be sent by Tom, I reckon. He's picking them for me.'

Detailing her thoughts on her now-ex Boggans, who she dated following Parker's death, she added: 'I think he sent Sean for a reason. Sean was what I needed at the time and he was wonderful. 

'I'll never say a bad word about him. But, right now, I need to focus on work and providing for my children.'

Last weekend, Kelsey took to Instagram to share a snap of herself cosying up to her new partner. She was in great spirits as the pair embraced and Kelsey simply captioned the post with a heart emoji.  

Kelsey did not share any specific details about her new man, but she received several supportive messages from her celebrity friends.

'Kelsey and Sean split up around the anniversary of Tom's death - her head was all over the place around that time and she had a wobble, but Sean still really liked her and pursued her,' a source told The Sun.

'After a few weeks of talking they got back together - she couldn't ignore her feelings for him. It's been really hard for them but she wants to give it a shot.'

Sean spent time behind bars after fatally punching Shaun McDermott, 44, during a heated argument over a taxi outside the Havering Oak pub in Romford, Essex.

Kelsey went on to date electrician Sean Boggans in November 2022 following her husband's death the previous March, although they ended up splitting for good in December 2023 after an on-off relationship 
Addressing her time with Sean, she said: 'At that point in my healing journey, I needed someone to give me what my family and friends couldn’t – I craved company in the evenings – but, more than anything, I didn’t want to be treated like a widow'
She confirmed their split in December 2023

He was waiting for his then-girlfriend to collect him when an argument broke out with Shaun, who was knocked to the ground during the skirmish. CCTV footage later captured the electrician walking away from the scene.

Shaun was discovered by police laying on the pavement at about 1am with a brain haemorrhage. A postmortem found that he died as a result of head injuries, with Boggans handed a four-year sentence by a judge at the Old Bailey.

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Despite finally finding happiness again, Kelsey was inundated with vile messages about not 'grieving properly' despite finding it hard to cope. 

Kelsey hit back at trolls as she told The Daily Star: 'When you've lost someone you love so much, it proves to you that you've only got one life. 

'Tom would want me to be happy. You've got one life, so you should live it. That's what he's taught us.

'When it comes to dating again… what's it got to do with anyone else? I think whatever makes you happy in life, you've got to do it.'

'There is so much stigma on how you should grieve. People think you should wear black with a veil over my face and be a walking widow. But that's not the case. I'm still young and I've got kids to look after.

'There is no rule book for grief out there and I'm saying to people: don't worry about how you're grieving because there is no right or wrong way to do it.

'You could be smiling one minute and then deep in emotion the next minute. There is no wrong or right way.'

Kelsey previously said her late husband would be 'happy' if she found love again following his death.

She and Parker were together for around 13 years. They announced their engagement in 2016 and married in a romantic ceremony in Surrey in 2018. 

Parker was diagnosed with stage 4 glioblastoma in October 2020, and was given just 12 months to live by doctors.

In September 2021, 11 months on from the diagnosis, Parker sang at the Stand Up 2 Cancer show at the Royal Albert Hall and even embarked on a Greatest Hits tour with his bandmates when the tumour was confirmed as 'stable' in November.

But a close family friend revealed today that Parker's condition deteriorated rapidly once the tour came to an end, and he died in March 2022.

As well as the update in her private life, Kelsey is also focusing on work as she has been unveiled as one of the parenting experts who will take to the stage at The Baby Show, with Lidl GB – the UK’s largest and best-loved pregnancy and baby event.

 In an interview with OK! Magazine back in June, Kelsey shared that she knows Tom will 'send the right man for her'

Taking place at Olympia Events (formerly Olympia London) between Friday 25th and Sunday 27th October, she joins a slew of well-known names sharing their parenting journeys.

Kelsey's role on the day will see her host the Mum’s the Word! Q&A alongside Georgia Jones, where they will chat to This Morning's Sian Welby. 

Other exciting details of the roster include a Q&A with Olympian, Amber Rutter – hosted by Baby2Body’s Melinda Nicci and a Dads Panel – hosted by CBeebies’ Nigel Clarke – with Blue star, Simon Webbe and Britain’s Got Talent’s Ashley Glazebrook.

Love Island star Olivia Bowen will also be taking to the stage.