ITV political editor Robert Peston has opened up about the emotional challenge he faced in returning to his home in Wales after the passing of his wife, the writer Sian Busby. Busby died from lung cancer in September 2012 at the age of 51. Peston explained that the couple had spent many years at their Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, property, which his wife had come to view as her 'proper home' during the last decade of her life.
Speaking on BBC Radio Wales with Lucy Owen, Peston shared how deeply his wife cherished everything Welsh, particularly the coastline. He recalled their 'endless walks along the cliffs' and spoke of the numerous 'amazingly beautiful villages and seaside towns' in the region. After Busby's death, Peston initially kept the property for 'a while' but eventually decided to sell it. He described finding it 'too difficult' to be in a place where his wife was 'both there but not there,' as it reinforced his 'terrible sadness and grief.' Despite the sale, Peston affirmed his continued affection for Wales and Aberystwyth.
Peston also reminisced about his son, Max, who, at the age of nine, formed a rock band with a group of 'Aberystwyth lads.' Max later went on to form another band, The New Sticky, with one of his childhood bandmates, a development Peston described as 'lovely.'
Beyond his political journalism, Peston himself is involved in music as the lead vocalist of Centrist Dad, a rock and punk cover band. He performs alongside broadcaster and former politician Ed Balls, who plays the drums. Peston recounted how he recruited Balls after remembering seeing a drum kit during a visit to him in Yorkshire in the 1990s, assuming he could play. Balls, initially admitting 'sheepishly' that he wasn't a drummer, has since become a 'very accomplished' musician through serious dedication.
Peston described his band as providing him with 'the most wonderful escapism,' calling it 'the joy of my life.' This insight into his personal life offers a poignant glimpse into how he has navigated grief and found solace in creative pursuits.