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James Haskell has revealed the heartbreaking decision to stop treatment for his ill father - knowing that it meant 'signing for him to eventually die'.
Opening up about the 'traumatic' final moments with his father Jonathan, the former England rugby star, 41, also disclosed the devastating medical complications that led to the decision and the financial 's*** show' of debt that he has now been left to untangle.
Former businessman Jonathan died last year, with his death announced in May 2025 following what was described at the time only as a 'long illness'.
But speaking this week, James revealed his father had suffered two 'massive strokes' while also battling pneumonia, complications from diabetes and severe heart problems.
After two weeks in hospital, James said the family were told Jonathan would not recover and were asked to agree to palliative care.
James told the On the Mend podcast: 'We had to agree to have palliative care, to switch it off. This is carnage where you sit in a room and the nurse says, 'He's not going to get better.' The doctor goes, 'Just give me a thumbs up'.
James Haskell has revealed the heartbreaking decision to stop treatment for his ill father - knowing that it meant 'signing for him to eventually die'
Opening up about the 'traumatic' final moments with his father Jonathan, the former England rugby star, 41, also disclosed the devastating medical complications that led to the decision
'We're basically signing for him to stop treatment to eventually die. And I'm like, 'Well, hold on a minute...'
'We signed it... Everyone's sad, and then you start having to talk about the funeral. He's not dead yet. It's just very, very odd things you don't think you're going to have to experience.'
The Celebs Go Dating star explained that Jonathan had been living with diabetes but was reluctant to seek medical help, describing him as part of an 'old school generation' who hoped illnesses would simply go away.
His health had already deteriorated to the point that he had undergone amputations. 'They had to chop a couple of toes off. He was uncomfortable,' James recalled.
He added his father then suffered what he believed was a 'mini stroke', saying: 'I went down and saw him and I was like, 'Dad, you've had a stroke. Your mouth's gone.'
'The paramedic came out. They said, 'We encourage you to go to hospital.' And he basically didn't.'
Fearing his father was becoming seriously ill, James took his daughter Bodhi, now four, to see her grandfather. James shares Bodhi with his ex-wife Chloe Madeley, 39, the daughter of TV presenters Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan. The former couple married in December 2018 and announced their separation in October 2023 after five years of marriage.
Recalling that last visit, James said: 'I took my daughter down because I was like, 'S***, this is not near the end, but I wasn't that confident.'
'We had a nice time, had lunch with him. I said to him, 'I love you.' Gave him a kiss, said, 'I'm sorry you're having a s*** time because of diabetes.' That night, he had a massive stroke.'
Jonathan was taken to hospital, where James recalled the extent of his condition becoming clear.
James told the On the Mend podcast this week: 'We had to agree to have palliative care, to switch it off...'
He said: 'He was awake, paralysed down one side, one eye didn't work, he couldn't swallow. They called us and said, 'He's not going to get any better. We scanned his heart, it's working at 15 per cent.''
James said his father had also arrived at hospital with pneumonia after suffering a chest infection. He claimed Jonathan had a habit of taking antibiotics for only a few days when he felt unwell rather than completing the course, saying he had consequently built up what he described as a 'super immunity.'
He added: 'He basically had pneumonia, diabetic complications, heart working at 15 per cent, and had two massive strokes in the centre of his brain.'
But as his father lay critically ill, James found himself simultaneously having to take over financial and legal problems he had long feared would be left unresolved.
He said: 'There were a few things that he was doing business-wise. He was involved in a couple of court cases. I'd said to him for years, 'You're going to leave a bit of a s*** show. You're going to leave mum exposed. We need to sort this out.'
'He never did. So the day that he had the stroke, I then had to take over everything. I'm dictating stuff in ChatGPT to lawyers and people, getting involved and finding out the extent of what was owed and debt and s***.
'It was a f***ing shamble. It was a really weird one because you're mourning your father and having to take things over.'
James said he had even discussed the prospect with his therapist before his father's death because he knew 'the problems were coming'.
He also shared how he had spent the previous decade making sure he regularly told both his parents he loved them.
'I didn't want to have things like in the movies where people say, 'I wish I'd said it.',' he said. 'So I always said, 'I love you. Thank you. I'm grateful.''
Recalling his final visit to Jonathan after the family agreed to palliative care, James said: 'He was in hell. He had a fever, he was fighting for breath. It was awful. My mum walked in and burst into tears straight away.'
He said he and his brother, Edward, tried to cool their father with damp tissues as he struggled to breathe, while James wrestled with whether to remain beside him through the night.
'I was like, 'I don't want to leave and then he dies. Will I feel guilty if I didn't sit by his side?'' he recalled.
After talking to his mother, James decided he was 'best suited' trying to deal with the problems his father had left behind. He kissed Jonathan, told him he loved him and returned to London.
His mother and brother visited the following day, when Jonathan was calm and sleeping, and he died the day after.
James said: 'The last time I saw him was f***ing carnage, traumatic.'
He added: 'The trauma of seeing him like that, I rationalised that that wasn't him anymore. It wasn't my dad. It was the vessel that my dad was in because his body was failing.
'Do I want that to be the last time I saw him? No. But my life is full of amazing memories of my dad.
'I still wake up every day and I go, I want to call my dad. A funny story's happened and you think you'd tell him and have a conversation.'
Yet James admitted the unresolved affairs have complicated his grief, saying: 'The overarching problem is now he's left the s show that I've got to unf.'
He added that while he remained frustrated his father had not taken better care of himself, he felt no anger towards him.
'I have frustrations because you saw it coming,' James said. 'But I just have love for my dad and I have comfort for him.'