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Date Published: 01/03/2023

ARCHIVED - Brit widower, 88, becomes Benidorm selfie star after friend posts heartwarming Facebook post

ARCHIVED ARTICLE -

Retiree Derek Flynn claims he can't take two steps in the Costa Blanca resort with out being stopped for a selfie

<span style='color:#780948'>ARCHIVED</span> - Brit widower, 88, becomes Benidorm selfie star after friend posts heartwarming Facebook post

A retired British shoe seller has become an overnight social media sensation and a celebrity selfie star in Benidorm after his friend posted a heartwarming FB post asking people to "take care" of him on his solo trip to the Costa Blanca.

The widower has since become the life and soul of the party in Benidorm, and claims he can't take two steps in the resort without being stopped for a snap. In fact, his only grumble is being tired from posing for more than 2,000 selfies.

It came after friend Nigel Hobdey posted on a popular Benidorm Facebook group that the 88-year-old was spending three-weeks holidaying alone in the coastal town, and asked other holidaymakers to keep an eye on him.

"(Derek) loves Benidorm but sadly he is coming on his own as his wife passed away two years ago. He is fit as a fiddle and loves singing, but like me sometimes forgets where he is and loses his keys lol. He has assistance with Jet2 to help him through the airport and to the hotel, but me and his friends hope he is OK over there on his own... if you see him say hello, he is a lovely guy."

The post immediately went viral.

The dad of five, whose wife Maevis died of natural causes, is staying at Pueblo Benidorm Hotel, and although he doesn't have a smartphone and hasn't been able to keep track of his rising celebrity status online, he is feeling the stardom on a daily basis.

The press was quick to locate him, and his rise to fame has even reached the New York Post and other media outlets around the world.

Derek spent 20 years living in Australia but insists Benidorm is "the best place in the world".

He told The Sun: "It’s blown up. I’ve gone from nothing to massive.

"I just went along with it at first thinking, ‘How the hell do they recognise me?’."

"I came back to relive my memories with my wife. She passed away from natural causes and I miss her," he added.

In addition to weaving his way through legions of fans, Derek says his favourite pastime has been singing Dean Martin songs at the resort’s bars.

"My favorite song to sing is Little Ole Wine Drinker Me," he said over a pint of beer that one of his many fans had bought him.

However, he is adamant the stardom won't go to his head. "I'd never say no to a selfie. I’m having the time of my life."

Also of interest: Where to find the best British fish and chip shops in Benidorm

Image: Facebook

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