Tributes paid to The Wanted star at his funeral
Tom Parker died at the age of 33
Last updated 20th Apr 2022
Hundreds of people lined the streets in south-east London to pay their respects to Tom Parker., the 33 year old The Wanted singer who died last month from a brain tumour.
Today his widow, Kelsey, paid tribute to him, calling Tom her soulmate and describing their wedding day, 'as the best day of my life'.
Family and close friends, including Liam Payne from One Direction, attended the private ceremony at St Francis of Assisi church in Petts Wood, south-east London on Wednesday morning.
Parker's bandmates Jay McGuiness, Max George, Siva Kaneswaran and Nathan Sykes served as pallbearers, carrying his coffin into the church as Champagne Supernova by Oasis played to fans gathered outside around three big screens that livestreamed the service.
Dressed in black, many fans clutched tissues and cried as the cortege arrived from the funeral parlour.
Parker disclosed in October 2020 that he had been diagnosed with stage four glioblastoma and had begun radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
Despite his diagnosis, in the weeks before his death he had performed on stage with his bandmates as part of their much-delayed reunion tour.
Addressing the congregation, George said of carrying his friend's coffin: "I could actually hear him saying, 'It's about time', as he carried us for the last 12 years."
He also joked that Parker had been the only member of The Wanted to have had a "punch-up" with all his bandmates, prompting laughter from those gathered.
First for all the latest news from across the UK every hour on Hits Radio on DAB, at hitsradio.co.uk and on the Hits Radio app.