BBC Radio 1 host Greg James visits Lancashire pub on grief trip following tragic death of dog Barney
The radio host lost his beloved dog recently.
BBC Radio 1 host Greg James has paid a visit to in Lancashire as part of grief trip following tragic death of his dog Barney who had to be euthanised earlier this month.
During the trip, James and his wife Bella Mackie, 43, stopped off at The Inn at Whitewell in Lancashire, where they were told the late Queen stayed on her 80th birthday.
He said he hopes life will be “calmer and less intense” following the death of his beloved Labrador and his father’s stroke and heart surgeries this year.
The couple embarked on a cross-country trip with a stop-off in Lancashire before they made their way to the Lake District.
The couple also went paddleboarding, with James saying Barney “would’ve been proud” of Mackie and later went swimming in Windermere.
Sharing several photos from the journey, James, 40, wrote: “Drove 1000 miles around the UK in a Renault Espace from 1999 and listened to the Phoebe Bridgers’ album 87 times so yeah I think I’m dealing with it all just fine thanks!”
He also thanked his social media followers for their messages of support after Barney’s death, as well as his father Alan Milward’s stroke and heart surgeries earlier this year.
He said: “To be serious for a moment… thank you for your lovely messages about Barney. And my dad.
“And just about everything this year. Whether out and about or via our parasocial relationship. It has meant a great deal.
“It’s been in some ways the worst but in many ways the best year.
“If I think back to all the fun of the show which included all the Comic Relief stuff, I feel so lucky to have a life like this and to have such brilliant people in it. Whether on here or in person.”
He added: “I just hope things can be a little calmer and less intense for a bit. But I’m healing well! So much fun to come through and I can’t wait to be back on the show tomorrow!”
James adopted the chocolate Labrador from Battersea Dogs & Cats Home in 2019 and his pet built up a loyal fanbase as James and Mackie shared regular updates about him.
The dog was a patient of Supervet star Professor Noel Fitzpatrick, who previously said Barney had multiple treatments for his arthritic joints, including a ruptured cranial cruciate ligament.
James’ father suffered a stroke during a planned heart operation in March. He later had to undergo another heart surgery in June, with the radio presenter saying he would have “a long road to recovery.”