Minnie Driver admits her mother Gaynor Churchward’s death ‘derailed’ her life

Minnie Driver has spoken of her heartache at losing her mother Gaynor Churchward, admitting the death of her beloved parent ‘derailed’ her life. 

The actress, 52, lost her model and fashion designer mother in March last year while writing her upcoming autobiography Managing Expectations and she insists her mother would have been delighted to learn her death made a good end to the story despite the sad circumstances.

Speaking on The Graham Norton Show, set to air on Friday, Minnie said: ‘My mum died in the middle of writing the book which was terrible, and I thought everything was derailed and I am still figuring out what good can come out of it. 

‘But it added a brilliant book end, and she would be thrilled to be the last crowning chapter in anyone’s book and she’d be happy that I managed to carry on.’ 

She added: ‘Life isn’t straightforward – the stuff that is ungainly, and difficult, and misfires is where the interesting stuff grows out of.

‘It’s a sort of memoir and the central thesis is that in your life things not working out is usually something working out; something else.  

Heartache: The actress lost her model and designer mother in March last year during the pandemic but did not announce a cause of death at the time (pictured 2013)

Minnie announced her mother had died in March last year on social media but did not give a reason for the death.

She wrote: ‘Words and pictures only approximating our love. Impossible that you are gone. How lucky we were to have you. Dearest, and beloved Mum.’

In August last year Minnie spoke candidly about the death of her mother to the Radio Times.

She said: ‘Grief is just another expression of love. I’ve really come to understand that, having lost my mother during the pandemic.

Life: Minnie insisted her mother would have been delighted to learn her death made a good end to the story of her autobiography while appearing on The Graham Norton Show

Meanwhile, Minnie gave her Instagram followers a glimpse at her loved-up life with fiancé Addison O’Dea, 42, last month after the pair jetted to Barbados together.

The pair have been linked since early 2019, with Minnie keeping her relationship pretty private.

Minnie is mother to 11-year-old son Henry Story from a brief fling with her former The Riches writer, Timothy J. Lea. 

The Graham Norton Show airs on Friday 4 February on BBC One at 10.35pm and will be available on BBC iPlayer. 

Sunset: It comes after Minnie gave her Instagram followers a glimpse at her loved-up life with fiancé Addison O’Dea, 42, last month after the pair jetted to Barbados together

Going strong: Minnie is engaged to Addison (L) and has an 11-year-old son Henry Story (R) from a brief romance with her former The Riches writer, Timothy J. Lea (posted June 2020)