Why Kelsey Parker removed wedding ring two years after husband Tom's death

Kelsey Parker has opened up to fans on the heartbreaking decision to stop wearing her wedding rings two years after the death of her husband, The Wanted star Tom Parker.

The singer passed away in March 2022 aged just 33, two years after being diagnosed with a rare form of brain tumour.

Parker was left bringing up their two young children Aurelia and Bodhi alone, and although she began a new relationship eight months later, she split from her boyfriend late last year.

Now, Parker has posted on Instagram to explain to fans why she felt it was important to stop wearing her wedding rings - sharing the emotional message that "in this world I'm not married anymore".

She wrote on Instagram: "Hi everyone, hope you have had a lovely Sunday. I wanted to share something with you all this evening. It’s something I’ve been thinking long and hard about for a while now, and as we end the first week of a new year, I have decided to take off my rings.

"It felt really painful every time I looked at them and I have been torturing myself over when will be the right time. I know now there will never be a right or wrong time, but there does have to come a point in my life when I remove them. Of course I’ll always be Tom’s, he’ll always be in my heart and I know I will forever be in his, but right now, in this world I’m not married anymore as much as that breaks my heart to admit.

"I’m not sure what I’m going to do with them yet. One day I’d love for Rae to have them, but right now I want to do something special with them. I’m not ready to totally let go of them. I’ve thought about wearing them around my neck or framing them and putting them in the space I create with Tom’s music stuff. Does anyone else have any other ideas or thoughts on this?"

Parker was inundated with support from her followers, as well as from her celebrity friends with Michelle Keegan, Jess Wright and Louisa Lytton all commenting with heart emojis.

Vicky Pattison wrote: "Sending you love babe," as Candice Brown added: "So so so much love for you darling."

Tom Hawkins, whose wife Hannah, a producer on Lorraine, passed away from breast cancer last year commented: "As ever, no wrong thing to do. I took mine off straightaway because like you said, it was took painful to look at and feel on my hand. It doesn’t mean feelings changed. Hannah’s one request was that Rory had her rings when he got older, either as a keep sake, or to use the diamonds in it to make into an engagement ring when he finds someone. X"

Read more: Kelsey Parker

• Tom Parker's widow Kelsey hopes her book will help others through grief (Bang Showbiz, 2 min read)

• Kelsey Parker celebrates late husband Tom on Fathers' Day (Bolton News, 2 min read)

• Tom Parker's wife Kelsey begs 'don't judge me' as she opens up on new relationship (Evening Standard, 1 min read)