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04/06/2012

The British actor who helped his terminally ill former wife end her own life in a clinic in Switzerland. He's now turned the death into a one-man play which he performs on stage.

Extraordinary personal stories from around the world.

Today, the British actor Chris Larner tells Matthew about helping his former wife Allyson travel to a clinic in Switzerland to take her own life.

Allyson had been suffering from multiple sclerosis for many years and the illness eventually left her in constant pain and unable to walk. The clinic run by Dignitas just outside Zurich is not-for-profit and assists the terminally ill to die - which is legal Switzerland. Chris and Allyson had been divorced for more than 20 years, but they had a son together and remained close. So Allyson asked Chris to accompany her on her final journey along with her sister.

Now Chris has written an account of Allyson's death, called An Instinct for Kindness, which he is performing as a one-man play in theatres around the UK.

Available now

28 minutes

Last on

Tue 5 Jun 2012 01:32GMT

Broadcasts

  • Mon 4 Jun 2012 12:32GMT
  • Mon 4 Jun 2012 23:32GMT
  • Tue 5 Jun 2012 01:32GMT

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