Pride of Britain was my mum’s favourite show... it reminds us to appreciate the good in the world

Pride of Britain since the first awards in 1999 and they mean a lot to her.

“Of all the programmes I’ve ever appeared in, Pride of Britain is the one that means the most.

“Countdown is the show that changed everything for me, but Pride of Britain is far more than a show – it’s a national institution and never fails to make me feel emotionally involved.

“There’s a family feeling around Pride of Britain. The winners are all so good at keeping in touch because everyone wants to stay involved after the show – that’s why previous winners such as Katie Piper joined us on the judging panel last year.”

Carol says: “I meet the winners backstage and the one thing they have in common is that they are all immensely modest and can’t quite understand why they have won an award.

“They can understand why everyone else is a winner but they say ‘I’m not special. I’ve not done anything worthy of being nominated’ yet they have often done incredible things.”

Carol describes last year’s awards ceremony as “an emotional roller coaster” as it followed the Manchester bombing, the Grenfell fire and the London Bridge and Westminster attacks.

“It was the first time many of the Manchester bombing survivors had been in public together and that was difficult for many of them,” says Carol.

“Many people had seen these events on television and they were just awful.

“I always say to the winners that the awards are to celebrate them and by the time they go up on stage they genuinely see that is what we are trying to do.

“I know there are a lot of amazing people out there and we want to know about them.

“Don’t worry about the nomination categories – there are a lot of special awards – just let us know why you think the person you know should be nominated and we have a team of researchers who will follow it up and do the rest.” Carol says: “Whenever I feel a little dip, I think of last year’s incredible Pride of Britain winners. “Remembering their kindness, bravery, humour and modesty lifts me again. “Then, instead of feeling weepy, I feel lucky to have had Mum until she was nearly 89. “I think of our lovely, funny times instead of the pain of losing her. “That’s the magical thing about Pride of Britain, which was Mum’s favourite show. “It reminds us to appreciate the good in the world. I think it has that special effect on everyone.”