Tennis star Annabel Croft ‘broken’ as husband dies weeks after cancer diagnosis

Annabel Croft has been left heartbroken by the death of husband Mel Coleman just weeks after he was diagnosed with cancer.

The former professional tennis player turned presenter married Mel back in 1992 as she retired from the sport before her broadcasting career.

Mel had complained of stomach pains before being diagnosed with stage 3 cancer, with Croft saying in a statement following his passing: "My beloved husband Mel passed away peacefully on Wednesday morning after a short battle with cancer.

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"My family and I are completely heartbroken and ask for privacy at this very sad time."

Croft is a former British number one tennis pro who has featured across BBC, Eurosport and Sky Sports.

Mel was a former America's Cup yachtsman who met Annabel by chance while filming a programme about yacht racing.

Croft told The Daily Mail earlier this year: "I got a text from my mother saying the BBC production office in Belfast were asking whether I'd be interested in filming a programme about yacht racing.

"I'd never been on a yacht before, but it ended up with me, Eamonn Holmes and Peter Skellern going off to Guernsey to shoot a programme where we learnt how to race a yacht.

"Mel, who had just got back from Australia after the America's Cup, was one of the yachtsmen and that is how we met."

Mel was a successful investment banker who ran a tennis school with his wife.

The couple also spent time converting an old delivery van into a mobile home, taking it across the country in their active lifestyles.

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