‘Tara Palmer-Tomkinson gave me a Chanel ring' says Holly Willoughby as she pays tribute to ‘incredibly kind’ socialite

Holly Willoughby has paid tribute to the “incredibly kind” Tara Palmer-Tomkinson.

Willoughby opened up about her first meeting with the former “It girl” who died, aged 45, on Wednesday.

Speaking on This Morning with Palmer-Tomkinson’s friend Ivan Massow, Willoughby recalled how she once gifted her a Chanel ring.

“The first time I met her, and this sums up her childlike character, she came over when I was having dinner and said ‘you know a very good friend of mine’ and I said ‘ yes I do’ and we started chatting,” Willoughby said.

“She started gesticulating with her hands and I noticed this diamond bling gorgeous ring and I watched it like a magpie. I said ‘your ring is beautiful’ and she went’ oh this is a bit of tut from Chanel’ and she dropped it in my champagne glass and went ‘it’s yours’.

“I said ‘No I can’t take it’, but she said, ‘If you don’t take it, I'm going to throw it across the restaurant!’”

Speaking about her personality she said: “She had that special energy about her she was so funny. She was incredibly kind. She was very generous with her time but her spirit also.”

Palmer-Tomkinson was found in her London flat by her cleaner.

The socialite, who had a history of cocaine addiction, was reportedly suffering from a rare and debilitating auto-immune condition in the lead up to her death.

Tributes came flooding in from stars including Lady Victoria Hervey who said she was “completely shocked”.

Tamara Beckwith - who was regularly pictured with Palmer-Tomkinson on the London party scene - described her as a “shining light” and “one of life’s true characters”.

Blue singer and Hollyoaks star Duncan James - who briefly dated Palmer-Tomkinson - tweeted: “Heartbroken and numb I have lost one of my oldest and dearest friends. I'm going to miss ur laughter the most shmooey. Rip sweetheart.”

Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall said they were “deeply saddened” upon learning of her death.

Follow @StanardEnts or like us on Facebook for more news.