Harry Gration's widow reflects on the broadcaster's legacy

Harry and Helen Gration on the day he was made an MBE

The widow of TV presenter Harry Gration has said nothing "prepared" her for his unexpected death last year.

The former presenter of BBC Yorkshire's Look North news programme died suddenly at 71 on 24 June.

Helen Gration told BBC Radio Leeds that anyone who had experienced the "surprise death" of a loved one would appreciate how traumatic it could be.

Her comments came as the family released an audio recording of her husband's final stage show.

There's Only One Harry Gration features a performance he gave alongside former ITV Calendar presenter Christine Talbot at York's Theatre Royal 10 weeks before his death.

She said the putting the recording out was part of keeping her husband's legacy alive, especially for the couple's three sons, the youngest of whom is three.

"I would like to ensure that there is a summary out there and a really good place that if in future years they want to go and hear and be reminded of stories Harry used to tell us round the table," Helen said.

Harry Gration with fellow Look North presenter Amy Garcia and weather presenter Paul Hudson in 2020

She admitted it had been emotional to listen to the recording, which is available on YouTube and as a podcast,

"It is really hard, other people will have had this happen to them, in a traumatic surprise death things hit you in ways you had not been prepared for," she said.

Harry joined the BBC in 1978 and Look North in 1982. He presented his final show in 2020.

He won a number of awards for his work and was appointed MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours list in 2013.

Helen said he had been very unassuming about the affection the public had for him.

She added the respect he showed people and the way he could make a story relatable had been an "incredible gift".

"I do not remember a time where we went out, perhaps for dinner, and were not interrupted by someone wanting to talk to him or take picture," she said.

Helen said memories were sometimes hard to deal with, but said she considered the family to be extremely lucky.

"Because we have such a wealth, and at some point when it isn't quite so raw and it doesn't quite hurt so much, the boys will be able to dip into some amazing memories," she said.