They’ve found a gem inLong Lost

KEEP your hankies at the ready as ITV’s Long Lost Family is back – and, just like a dear, long lost relative, it’s been sorely missed.

The show helps people trace loved ones after years apart. And what at an emotional roller coaster, tear- jerking and nervewringing ride episode one was. We met Marion and James, divorced, but united in a bid to find the son they gave up for adoption as teens in 1970.

And single mum Cathie, desperate to find her birth mother.

All had been searching for years and drawn a blank. Step forward Nicky Campbell, Davina McCall and a skilled backroom team to work their magic. These were heartbreaking stories of loss and longing.

Marion sobbed as she described the day her baby was taken from her, seeing him put into a car and driven away.

“It broke our hearts,” James said. The couple went on to marry and have two daughters but never forgot their eldest child and always hoped one day they’d find him. When Davina broke the news that he was living in Torquay their faces crumpled. A photo showed that Simon was the image of his father.

It emerged he had been doing some digging too, looking for his birth mother. To find that his parents and his sisters were searching for him was overwhelming.

“I pray they haven’t been guilt-ridden all these years,” he said. The family reunion was full of hugs and tears. “I’ve waited 46 years for this,” Marion said.

“Finally, our family is complete,” James added as I wiped mascara off my cheeks, resembling Alice Cooper by the first advert break.

Sadly, it wasn’t such a happy ending for Cathie. Her mother Adrienne was 19 and single when she gave birth in 1964 and put the tot up for adoption at ten weeks.

In a letter left for her daughter to read once she was older, she said she had given her away because she loved her so much.

Cathie spoke movingly about how Adrienne must have felt. And her mother was constantly in her thoughts.

You could see how desperate she was to find her, just how much it meant. My heart went out to her.

Then came the awful news – she was too late. Adrienne had passed away five years ago. Cathie broke down, saying: “All I wanted to do was meet her.”

In a bittersweet twist, Adrienne had tried many times to trace her lost child.

Every year she recorded her birthday in her diary. Nicky met Adrienne’s other daughter, Ann, who told how her mum spoke about Cathie all the time. “She didn’t want to give her up and I don’t think she ever got over it,” Ann said.

Seeing the two sisters meet, and their instant tearful connection, was incredibly moving. Away from the cameras Cathie also got to meet her half-brother Mark.

Another family complete. And one that might never have come together without the help of this brilliant programme. I can’t wait to see who they help this week. FOR barking barking-mad animal lovers her Melbourne home. It’s exotic petTUreet, look sum no quipitfurt further than landiametChannel 4’s accummo keeping gone bonkers. Valerie and Mike at, Bear quis About alit The H House. We dipsumhad the ing ea gushed about their buffalo:“It’s like doluptat, Russians, coremwh whose cake-eatingcommy nos bear nim having one of the grandkids over. He’s our jojinsjoins dolore themte at the breakfast aliquamet, table, verosti baby.” At one ton that’s a BIG baby. Croc thtethe mincidunt AmericanAmerica couple ncincilitwho clean veros digna lobor lover Vicki seemed to have truly lost the up their acilit pe pet buffalo faccumsandioin the car praesenim plot, saying with a smile:“She could drag wash and the conumsa alit ver retired nurse ndionsequi me into that tank and drown me in no wh whoaut keeps erciduipit crocodiles at lorper t i me.” Ever considered a gerbil, love?