• [Dailystar Icon]
• Showbiz
• Christmas

Chris Rea's will and huge sum left to wife Joan confirmed after iconic singer's passing

Chris Rea, best known for his festive hit Driving Home For Christmas, died just days before Christmas following a short illness, leaving 12 million to his wife Joan

[Singer Chris Rea]

Singer Chris Rea sadly passed away just before Christmas last year(Image: Getty Images)

Chris Rea's final will and the enormous sum he left to his wife has been revealed. The singer, renowned for his festive classic Driving Home For Christmas, passed away just days before the festive season after a brief illness. He had battled numerous health problems over the years, including kidney troubles, diabetes as well as pancreatic cancer.

Court documents have shown that Chris bequeathed a staggering 14,435,894 to his wife Joan in his will. The sum, after taxes, debts and expenses were deducted, meant the figure was reduced to 12,063,178.

His final bequest of 12million went to his family, with it also being specified in the will that he wished to be cremated. According to The Sun, any royalties from his music being broadcast on the radio in future will also go to his wife.

[An individual with blond hair, dressed in a black turtleneck and a blue jacket with an orange strap, appears to be performing on stage under stage lighting.]

Chris bequeathed a staggering 14,435,894 to his wife Joan(Image: Getty Images)

Chris met Joan when they were teenagers and they were wed for 57 years. They had two daughters together, Josephine and Julia, reports the Mirror.

A statement from his family at the time of his death read: "Singer/songwriter and guitarist, Chris Rea, passed away earlier today in hospital following a short illness. A statement on behalf of his wife and two children was released to the media this afternoon.

"It is with immense sadness that we announce the death of our beloved Chris. He passed away peacefully in hospital earlier today following a short illness, surrounded by his family."

Chris had also previously been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer before undergoing pancreas removal in 2001. In 2016, he additionally endured a stroke amongst a series of numerous health battles throughout the years.

[Three individuals, consisting of two women and a man, are standing close to one another, likely at an event. The woman on the left has long blonde hair and is dressed in black, while the man in the middle has a beard and is wearing a gray jacket. The woman on the right has long brown hair and is also dressed in black. They are all smiling and appear to be posing for a photograph.]

Chris was best known for his iconic festive song Driving Home ForChristmas(Image: Getty Images)

Reflecting on his health struggles before his death, he said: "1994, most incredibly successful year, Bing! Abcess on the colon, colostomy bag. They took away the pancreas, the duodenum, the gall bladder and the left quadrant of the liver. All gone.

"That too me, well, I have never really got over it. Type 1 Diabetic, I have to take 34 pills every day, and then, after all of that, my kidneys' gone."

He said that he possessed a "very good heart".

The musical icon was best known for his iconic festive song Driving Home For Christmas and other tracks such as Fool (If You Think It's Over), Let's Dance and The Road To Hell.

He skyrocketed to fame throughout the 70s and 80s thanks to his distinctive slide guitar playing and crooning voice. Chris recorded a whopping 25 studio albums, two of which topped the UK Albums Chart upon their release. He also recorded a duet titled If You Were Here With Me with Elton John and was nominated for Brit Awards in 1988, 1989 and 1990.

[Dailystar Icon]

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Choose Daily Star as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.