Barrymore relieved at father's 'beautiful' death

Drew Barrymore was relieved to reconcile with her estranged father shortly before his death in 2004, because their newfound friendship made the loss "a beautiful experience".

The 31-year-old actress nursed her dad John Drew Barrymore in the final year of his fight with cancer.

She says: "I spent the last year of his life taking care of him, and although we were estranged for most of our lives, I got to have a really wonderful feeling when he passed because I did get so close to him.

"So his passing was a beautiful experience rather than a painful one for both of us. It's saved me years of therapy."