[woman] This one is the lady that gave birth to daddy.

I wanna find her 'cause I wanna make sure she's okay.

[man 2] I would really like to see my daughter.

This is my last chance.

[man 3] It is hard, and you think about it every day.

I'll never ever give up looking for me mother.

There are many reasons why people across Britain are searching for missing family.

It's a feeling that's deep inside that you're on your own.

Keeping secrets and keeping people locked away... nothing good ever comes of that.

Some need to know their identity.

You look at yourself and you think, "Where am I from?

Who do I look like?"

Others have difficult questions.

Why hasn't he tried to find me?

Where was he?

So imagine the moment when the answer you need is just around the corner.

I'm not that far away, so I should be with you shortly.

[exhales sharply] Oh, it gets a bit real, doesn't it?

[Nicky] In this series we uncover unexpected truths... -Wow!

-He got knighted by the Queen?

...find people th at no one else could trace... -We have found your mum.

-Blimey!

I didn't expect that.

...and reunite families after a lifetime apart.

-They found me mother.

-You're joking!

Mwah!

Oh, God, child.

[Davina] This week, there's an astonishing twist in one woman's search.

We did find something else as well.

-No!

-Yes.

Oh, wow!

And a daughter confronts her greatest fears.

[woman] Did she not want me, and if she didn't want me, why did she not want me?

Sometimes when people are looking for a relative, the search takes on a completely different turn from what was expected, and the final family union isn't necessarily always with the person they were looking for.

And this was the case in our first story.

[woman] People take for granted having a family.

I've always longed to know where I've come from.

Wanna know who I belong to.

And who am I really?

-[woman] Want your tea over there?

-[man] Yes, please.

[Davina] Fifty-two-year-old Ann Melbourne was adopted as a baby and had a happy childhood.

[Ann] Have you eaten it all?

Has it all gone?

Oh, my God, you're getting heavy, you're getting fat.

-He's not.

-She now lives with her partner Freddy and is the mother of three sons.

[Ann] Blake is my eldest son, Max is my middle son and Jamie's my youngest.

Blake passed away, um, on September 10th, 2011.

Um, got cancer, he was 14.

He's massively missed, though.

Hmm.

Sorry.

And they mean absolutely everything to me.

They're my world.

Her two remaining boys, now adults, both play football professionally.

So in here I've got my football wall.

I would never have missed a game when they were little.

I love watching them, yeah.

I'm so proud of them.

My adoptive father was very proud of them, so I'm hoping that my birth family would think, "Wow, she's done a good job bringing up three boys."

For as long as she can remember, Ann has wanted to find her birth parents.

And 12 years ago she finally traced her mother.

[Ann] And she promised to meet me.

I was gonna burst with excitement to see her, and I already planned our conversation.

And then I didn't hear from her.

I found out I was a secret.

My heart sank knowing that was the truth, um, she didn't, she didn't wanna know me.

And I felt rejected.

But it didn't stop Ann wanting to find out more.

So cautiously, she continued to look for her birth father.

[Ann] My birth mother gave me his name, Leslie.

It was a massive moment.

This is his name, wow!

Ann could now add her father's first name, Leslie, to the other fragments of information she'd gleaned from her adoption paperwork.

My father is 21-year-old single English boy.

He used to play quite a lot of football.

I couldn't believe that he was-- he liked football when I first read it.

This is my birth father who loved football, and my boys love football.

It's almost like he's been in my life.

And here he is, in black and white, saying how old he was, what he liked doing.

So I can picture him, I can make him real.

I desperately want to find him.

But unable to track her birth father any further, Ann is left with unanswered questions.

Did he ever think about me?

And did he ever love me?

Have I got any brothers and sisters?

You do want that sense of belonging to somebody.

I've lost so much.

Life is short so I need to find him.

It's something I have to do for myself.

[Nicky] When we took on the search for Ann's birth father, we used the snippets of information that she'd gathered: Leslie's full name, his age at the time of her birth and the fact that he was from the Birmingham area.

And with these crucial facts, we found a record of him.

But it only confirmed Leslie's existence, not where he's living today.

Further searches of Birmingham marriage records showed us that a Leslie James of the right age had married a lady called Dawn, 42 years ago.

And this gave us a breakthrough.

Using the electoral roll, we found this couple living just 12 miles away from Ann, near Birmingham.

We made contact and discovered Leslie was the man we were looking for.

Leslie was very happy to be found, but sadly he suffers from dementia, so the situation is difficult for him.

However, there is someone who's keen to talk to me.

His wife Dawn.

[line rings] -Hello, Dawn.

-Hello.

Thank you very much for talking to me.

How is Leslie, first of all?

He's very, very confused.

He can't remember a lot about Ann's mum.

So did you know about Ann?

No, it was a shock.

Why didn't he tell you, do you think?

Well, he didn't know.

So Leslie didn't know about her...?

No, no, nothing.

So Ann was adopted.

She had a very happy adoption, but as part of her search, she came across a few years ago and she read her adoption papers.

-Yeah.

-And she found out that he likes playing football.

Yeah, he did years ago, yeah.

Was he a big football fan as well.

-Is he a big football fan?

-Oh, he loves Aston, yes, Aston Villa.

'Cause that meant a lot when she found out that he loved football because she has two sons at the moment who are both professional footballers.

Oh!

And so that, that was a connection for her, you know?

Yeah.

Yeah.

Oh, that's lovely.

It'll be lovely to meet her.

Do you think Leslie would be comfortable with us showing a photograph of him to Ann?

Yes.

Yes.

This is the one when he was younger.

My goodness me.

There he is with his tennis racket.

Yeah.

And that's what he looks like now.

Oh, okay.

He looks content though, he looks happy.

Yeah.

Well, I'm glad she found him.

It's just that it was a shock, two daughters within so many weeks.

-Two daughters?

-Yeah.

Well, about six weeks before you notified us about Ann, his other daughter, Jenny, wrote Les a letter.

What?!

Another daughter?

Yes.

Listen, I've got to get my head round this.

[laughs] Well, I had to as well.

Tell me about Jenny.

She had been adopted.

We would have had her if we'd have known.

She found us herself.

And then a few weeks later, you contact me about Ann!

This is absolutely mind blowing.

So let me get this straight.

A few weeks ago, Jenny got in touch... -Yes.

-...having found Leslie.

-Found us.

-So she's from a different relationship.

And now Ann has got in touch, but the two of them coming, trying to find Les, and you're dealing with the situation.

How does it feel for you?

I cried when I got her letter, I really did.

I thought it's, you know...

I'm glad she found him, you know, and Ann.

'Cause if I was adopted, I' d want to know about my past.

He brought up my four children, and they all know Les is their daddy.

He's been a really good dad.

I've always admired him for that and my family.

So now you're doing the same for his children from long ago.

I would have took his two.

And I think it's important that they know who their dad is really.

-Mm.

-I really do.

-Thank you very much.

-Okay, love.

It was lovely talking to you.

-You too.

-Bye.

This is remarkable.

Not only have we found Ann's birth father, but a sister too, that Ann has no idea about.

But before we give Ann the news... Our second search is on behalf of a woman who's spent years summoning up the courage to try and find her birth mother.

[woman] The first thing that goes through your mind when you're old enough to understand is, "Did she not want me?

And if she didn't want me, why did she not want me?"

I need to put myself out there, and if I do get hurt, I get hurt.

If she, potentially, if she doesn't want to know me, then I've not lost anything, at least I've tried.

One, two, three, four.

And a bit quicker.

[Davina] Fifty-year-old Amanda Village is a professional dancer who choreographs and teaches "first dances."

Three, four.

Step back, step forward.

Two, three, left foot.

It is a bit strange, I suppose, me not being married and teaching wedding dances.

I've never gone down that route of getting married.

I'm a person where, if I don't venture too far, I don't get hurt, so I have like a barrier up.

Open out!

I don't know if being adopted has a psychological effect.

There's always a fear of rejection.

Amanda grew up in Durham and had a happy childhood.

My mum, she didn't let me miss out on anything.

I've had a good, good upbringing.

She took me dancing in competitions every weekend.

Now a mum herself to son Kai, Amanda still remembers the day when her mother first told her she was adopted.

[Amanda] I was six or seven.

I was playing in the garden with my dolls and she said to me, "There's something I need to tell you."

And I said, "Okay."

And my mum said I was special because I had two mums.

And I was like, "What do you mean?"

And she says, "Well, there's me and then there's, er, your mum who gave birth to you, and she wasn't able to keep you, so I've adopted you."

When I was younger I didn't really want to know that I had another mum 'cause I felt as if I wasn't wanted.

So I didn't want to feel sad or hurt.

For most of her life, Amanda's been afraid to find out more about her birth mother, and she's never followed the leads her adoptive family were able to give her.

Until now.

[Amanda] I was told she was called Susan Williams and she was 18 when she had me, that she lived on an army training camp near Aberystwyth, and her father was a sergeant major.

Today, Amanda's visiting that camp for the first time.

[Amanda] Just feels very strange to be here.

To think how this is where I...

I was... well, I came from.

Amanda was told that here, in 1968, her birth mother Susan met her birth father, a young army recruit, and became pregnant.

This was one of the main buildings then.

To think my birth mum was here.

My mum had told me that Susan was told that she had to marry my dad, my father, or she had to give me up for, um, adoption.

She obviously didn't want to marry him, she was too young, so she got me adopted.

Must have been awful for her.

Knowing what I'm like after I've had my son, you know, you get that bond.

[sniffles] Oh, I don't know why I'm upset, it's just... just emotions thinking about it.

Yeah.

Maybe that's why I've never been back.

And I've never wanted to come back.

'Cause I feel as if you're facing up to something perhaps.

Amanda has attempted to fi nd out where her birth mother went from here.

But the search has gone cold.

[Amanda] What happened next?

I want to know what kind of life she's had.

Has she had other children?

Has she told them about me?

I want to know if she thinks about me on my birthdays and if she's tried to look for me.

I need to find her.

It's something that I've got to do.

I've got to, I've got to find out.

[Nicky] When we started this search, Amanda already knew her birth mother was called Susan Williams.

But it's such a common name, we needed more information.

Amanda's adoptive mum told her that Susan was originally from Essex... and had been around 18 when Amanda was born.

So we were able to estimate Susan's year of birth.

Sure enough, we found a Susan Williams born in Chelmsford in 1951 and ordered her birth certificate.

It revealed the name of Susan's father.

We guessed he would no longer be alive and searched for his death certificate.

This gave us our biggest clue.

The certificate was signed by his daughter, Susan Haslam.

And it gave not only her married name, but also her address.

She now lives in the East Midlands with her husband Ray.

Susan was just a teenager on a remote army base when she gave her baby up for adoption.

And now, more than 50 years on, her daughter has come looking for her.

But how does she feel about it?

Is it something that she's always wanted?

Or is it a painful reminder of a time she'd rather forget?

-Hello.

-Hello, Nicky.

-How are you?

-Welcome.

Come on in.

-Thank you.

-Nice to meet you.

You too.

You lead the way.

So are you Sue or Susan?

-Sue.

-Sue it is.

-Yeah.

-This must have come as a surprise.

-How do you feel about it?

-I was shocked first of all.

Very shocked.

But I have for years tried to find her myself.

-You have?

-I have tried 'cause I've never forgotten her, and her birthday, 'cause her birthday is the 9th August.

And I always remember that and I always wake up and say, "Morning."

Happy birthday to her, you know.

So tell me about your life when you became pregnant with Amanda?

Well, my dad was in the army.

-What was his rank?

-He was a staff sergeant.

Right.

Somebody who has... Who was quite high up, yeah.

How did you meet Amanda's father?

At a NAAFI dance that they had on one night.

I can still picture him as well till this day.

I used to think the world of him.

-He was a soldier?

-Yeah.

And then things just went wrong.

We finished.

And then of course I found out I was pregnant.

I was so nalïve, I hadn't even got a clue.

-That you were pregnant?

-No.

I didn't.

And then of course I told my mum that I was expecting, or pregnant, and that was it.

My dad was really angry with me.

I think it was just the shock.

Daddy's little girl, you know.

And maybe he was worried what people would say.

I didn't know where I would... where I would live.

Was keeping her possible in any way?

No.

Not at the time, you know.

I mean, I don't think mum and dad would let me stay with them.

-So it had to be.

-Yeah.

She was born two weeks early.

The doctor, he said to me, "Don't look at her or nothing," and they took her straight away.

But when I happened to turn round, I could see she had a mass of black hair.

I can remember that as though it was yesterday.

And that's, that's the last time I saw her.

I'm gonna cry now!

[laughs] Sorry.

-[Nicky] Don't worry.

-I'm trying not to.

It's absolutely fine.

She'll be 51 this year.

Mm-hmm.

I used to go to bed and cry some nights.

You know, you just keep seeing it, you know.

You close your eyes and you just see her.

My dad didn't talk to me for a long time.

[Nicky] What's a long time?

Maybe about a year, I should think.

That must have been such a lonely time.

Yeah, it was.

My mum used to often say to me, "I wonder what she's like, your daughter," you know.

Even when I was pregnant with the two boys, I always wanted a little girl.

-So you've got two sons?

-Yeah, I've got two sons, Trevor and Richard.

How long have they known about Amanda?

Years.

-Have you got a photo of her?

-I have.

If she looks like me, she can't go wrong.

[Nicky] I like that attitude.

God, she's lovely, isn't she?

Oh, my gosh!

She really is.

-I see the resemblance.

-Yeah.

Yeah.

She is lovely.

[Nicky] I've got a letter here from Amanda.

Right, it says, "Dear Susan, my mum kindly kept the name you gave me at birth."

Do you want me to read it for you?

Yeah.

Please.

I'll be all right in a minute.

"This is probably the hardest letter I've ever had to write.

I often think about you, specially on my birthday, wondering if you're thinking of me."

That's what you told me earlier on.

"Now I'm 50, I'm hoping that you do want to see me.

It would mean the absolute world to me.

Much love..." -Amanda.

-"...Amanda."

How do you feel about meeting her?

Nervous, you know, but pleased.

The only thing is I can't cuddle her or give her a hug because of Covid.

-But you can look at her.

-Yeah, I can look at her.

You weren't allowed to do that before, were you?

No.

No, I wasn't.

Yeah.

She's lovely.

-I told you, didn't I?

-Yeah, you did.

Yeah.

[laughs] Yeah.

Hello, sunshine.

All right?

That's Amanda.

[Trevor exhales sharply] -Are you all right?

-Crikey!

[Sue] She's lovely, isn't she?

Yeah.

I've known for 19 years that I've got a sister.

Not been a day gone by where I haven't thought about her.

Do you wanna give me a cuddle?

It'll be all right.

[Nicky] Ann Melbourne is hoping to find her birth father, Leslie.

[Ann] I've never stopped wanting to find him.

And I never will.

Not only have we traced him, but incredibly we've discovered that Ann isn't the only daughter who's been searching for him.

-Hi, is that Jenny?

-Yes.

Hi, it's Nicky from "Long Lost Family."

Hello, Nicky.

[Nicky] Jenny is Ann's half-sister, who is also adopted.

She lives in Devon and I wanted to catch up with her as soon as possible to hear her story.

Thanks so much for agreeing to talk.

What was it like finally making contact with your birth father Leslie?

I couldn't believe it.

I wrote a letter, and then Leslie's wife Dawn rang me to say if they'd known that when I was born, they would have taken me on.

So, yeah, it's nice that I felt wanted by them.

And what has it given you contacting him?

Peace of mind.

I've had a fantastic upbringing, but there's just, it's hard to describe.

It's just...

I feel more at peace now.

So how do you feel that there's another daughter, a sister of yours that Leslie had who was also adopted?

[laughs] It's amazing... -Yeah.

-...to find out I've got, like, another sister and an older sister.

And how do you feel about meeting Ann?

I can't wait.

That would be the icing on the cake.

[Davina] There's now so much to tell Ann, and I'm on my way to share all our findings with her.

When Ann took on this search, she was cautious, prepared for every eventuality.

But I'm not sure she'll be expecting the news I'm about to give her.

[doorbell rings] -Hi.

-Hi, Davina.

-How you doing?

-I'm okay, thank you.

Hi, come on in.

-Come through.

-Thank you.

Thank you so much for talking to me.

It was quite a brave decision for you to search for your birth father after what happened with your birth mother.

-Yeah.

-What do you want to know about him?

If he knew about me.

Did he ever look for me?

I know he liked football, my boys love football.

I'd love to just have a hug from someone that's actually made me.

It's just that comfort of just knowing who I am.

Well, we have found your birth father, Leslie.

Have you?

Have you really?

Oh, my God, I can't believe you've found him.

-Is he alive?

-He's alive.

He's not in the best of health, and he does suffer from dementia and memory loss.

Oh, bless him.

But he is so happy to have been found.

Oh, wow!

-He's married.

-Right.

To a lady called Dawn.

They've been together for 42 years.

Oh, wow!

Doesn't feel real.

Do they live far away?

Twelve miles.

-No!

-Yes.

No way!

Yes.

So I might have walked past them.

-Did he know about me?

-He didn't.

-He didn't?

-No.

So it was a surprise.

But Dawn said if he'd have known about you, being the family man that he is, he absolutely would have talked to her about you.

-Really?

-Yeah.

Dawn had four children when she met your dad and she said he was the most amazing father to her four children.

-Yeah.

-Oh, he sounds amazing.

I just wanna give him a big hug.

Did he play football?

Yes.

He loves football still.

He watches football.

Oh, that's so lovely to hear that.

My boys would definitely welcome him.

Their granddad, yeah.

Oh, wow.

-I've got a picture.

-Have you?

-Oh, gosh.

-This is your dad.

Oh, my God!

Oh, he looks so well.

Hiya, Dad.

Wow!

That's brilliant.

Oh, he looks lovely.

This is my dad?

And he really, really wants to meet you, but he'd like to do that away from the cameras.

Okay.

Yeah, that's fine.

Oh, I can't wait to meet him.

-We did find something else as well.

-Okay.

Dawn told us that six weeks before "Long Lost Family" got in touch with her, her and Leslie received a letter from a woman called Jenny saying that she was also looking for her birth father who was called Leslie.

-Oh, wow!

-This daughter had already been given up for adoption.

And so she was adopted as well?!

[gasps] Oh, my gosh!

You haven't got a picture of her, have you?

Yeah.

Oh, wow!

So she was adopted and then wanted to find her dad.

And we were looking at the same time.

She'll know exactly how it feels.

You know, I couldn't have hoped for a better thing.

Jenny has written you a few words.

[Ann] Oh, wow!

"Dear Ann, it's come as a wonderful surprise to know I have a sister."

Yeah, me too!

"I myself..." Oh, wow!

"...have three children and they have been a great support.

It would be wonderful to meet if you so wish."

Oh, I definitely do.

Oh, wow!

I can't believe it.

Do you know what?

It's even more than what I wished for.

Oh, I can't wait to meet her.

-I know how much loss you've suffered.

-Yeah.

It's really nice to be able to bring you something.

And it's nice to gain, gain a family.

[exhales sharply] Wow!

-[phone dialing] -We gave Ann Leslie and Dawn's phone number so they could finally speak to each other.

-[Dawn] Hello.

-Hi, Dawn.

-Hello, Ann.

-Can I just say thank you so much for the photographs?

You're welcome, love.

Hang on, I've got somebody who wants to say hello to you.

[Ann] Okay.

Hello?

[Leslie, laughing] I've got to speak proper, she said.

Oh, bless.

Hello.

-How are you?

-I'm very, very well.

I'm so excited to say hi to you for the first time.

Oh!

Hi.

[laughs] Hiya.

-Hi.

-Lovely to hear you.

-Aw, thank you.

-Love you.

Love you too.

Oh, thank you.

Awww.

[Dawn] Aww, bless.

Oh, that is so nice.

Bye.

Love you all, bye-bye.

Oh, wow!

[Freddy] How you feeling?

[Ann] I can't wait to see her now.

It's becoming real.

Reality.

I'm so happy for you.

Today, Ann has travelled to Devon where her sister Jenny lives, a sister that only a few days ago she didn't know existed.

[Ann] I'm so excited.

Just need to go and see her now and find out who she is.

I'm her big sister.

[laughing] I'm a big sister.

That's crazy.

For Jenny, the discovery of a half-sister has also been a complete surprise.

[Jenny] I can't believe it.

Never ever thought anybody would have the same story as mine.

It just feels as though there's like a connection already.

Oh.

I'm so nervous.

-Bye.

-Bye.

I'll see you later.

The sisters are getting together at Ann's hotel and have both been Covid tested so they can meet safely.

[Ann] Can't believe it's here.

It's actually gonna happen.

[Jenny] Excited about meeting her.

It will be special.

Can't wait.

-Hi.

-Hello.

Hi.

[laughing] Hi!

Oh!

And breathe.

-[laughing] Oh, dear.

-Oh, wow!

Oh, God!

-What a shock.

-I know.

I know.

Total, total shock.

-So out of the blue.

-Yeah.

Oh, my God!

[sighs] So isn't it crazy that you were looking for Leslie the same time as me?

I know.

They gave me this picture of when I was on the phone with him.

[laughs] Dawn said, "You'll love her, you'll love her."

-Really?

-"You'll get on really well with Ann."

-Aww.

-She said, "She's lovely."

I've got pictures.

See?

Look how good looking he was.

[Jenny] I know, yeah.

See where I get my mop of hair from.

[Ann] He did have good hair.

Where's it gone?

-Doesn't seem real.

-No.

-That's our biological dad.

-Yeah.

It would be wonderful if we could all meet together... -Yeah.

-...with Les and Dawn.

We'll make plans.

I'm really happy that I've met you.

I really am.

And me.

[Ann] Kind of took my breath away.

This is actually my sister.

I felt the warmth, like... it was just a precious moment.

[Jenny] It felt natural.

I've gone through the whole array of emotions, but her smile totally put me at ease.

When they told me that you've got three children, it was like, Oh, wow!

-Same.

-Yeah, yeah.

Stepmum to a girl and a boy as well.

-Oh, really?

Five.

-Yeah.

-Oh, wow!

-So what about you?

I've got three boys.

Blake, would have been 23, but he passed away.

Oh, I'm sorry.

And then I've got Max and Jamie.

I've always wanted a sister to say like, "What can I wear?"

-And I've only had my boys to say.

-[laughs] It is amazing.

I'm so pleased.

-Me too.

Me too.

-I really am.

[Ann] She's all about family the same as I am.

We talked like we'd known each other.

Felt very close to her.

[Jenny] When I started the journey, I don't know what I was expecting, but what I've gained is phenomenal, really.

I've gained a sister.

I'm extremely happy.

I really feel amazing.

She's lovely.

I think it was meant to be that we both came into our birth father's life at the same time.

It's only the beginning now and a new chapter in all our lives.

Fifty-year-old Amanda Village was adopted as a newborn baby but has only recently dared to search for her birth mother.

Meanwhile, her mother Sue has also been trying to find Amanda.

It takes a lot of bravery to search for a birth parent.

They gave you up once before, what happens if they reject you again?

So it's gonna be amazing to tell Amanda that Sue is so happy that she took that risk and after 50 years they can be reunited.

[doorbell rings] -Hi, Amanda.

-Hi, Davina.

-How are you?

-Nice to meet you.

Hi, come in.

Oh, thank you.

Shall I just go through?

-Yes, please.

-Thanks.

I suppose the first thing I want to know is, what is it that started your search now?

Could potentially get hurt knowing the truth, but, um... but I don't want to regret it later on in life.

And I want to know if I look like my mum.

-Mm.

-Because if I look at my friends with their mums and I just think, "Oh, they look alike."

It's a strange thing, but it's... 'Cause you don't feel like you quite belong until I think you see that, yourself in somebody, so, yeah.

Well, we have found her.

Have you?

Have you?

Is she okay?

Oh, my God!

Cor.

Oh, I wasn't expecting that.

[laughs] -You sure she's okay?

-She's okay.

Am I able to see her?

Yes?!

Oh!

Oh, thank you for finding her.

-Oh, I'm okay.

-I know.

I'm happy.

-Shall I start at the beginning?

-Please.

So, she didn't know she was pregnant until she'd split up with your dad.

-Right.

-She was very young.

It was basically a foregone conclusion that you would be adopted after you were born.

And she was told not to look at you.

Oh, that's so sad, isn't it?

How can you not look at your own baby?

[Davina] Really tragic.

She did look and she saw a big mop of dark hair.

-[laughs] -And that one flash of your dark hair, that was the only memory that she had of you, but she held on to that.

Okay.

Wow!

But does she know I'm okay?

-[softly] She does.

-Does she?

Your grandparents, they did talk about you later on in life and say, "I wonder where she is."

Oh, wow.

You didn't stay the kind of dark secret.

People did think, "I wonder if she's all right, where she is."

Have I got any brothers or sisters or...?

Have I?

You've got two half-brothers.

They're called Richard and Trevor.

Wow!

Trevor said there's not one day that goes by when he doesn't think about you.

-Gosh.

-He thought about you every day for the last 19 years.

[laughs] Wow!

-She's written you something.

-Has she?

God!

[laughs] -Oh!

-[Davina] Here.

"Dear Amanda, I was overjoyed when I found out you were searching for me.

I've been looking for you as well.

My mum and dad would have been so happy that you've been searching for me."

It's strange to think that she'd been looking for me too.

Oh, wow.

My life has just completely changed, massively.

-You know you wanted to know if you look like her?

-Yes.

Have you got a photo?

Oh!

Bring it on!

[laughs] Oh, my God!

Oh, we do look like each other, don't we?

The same mouth.

[laughs] The same eyes.

Oh, wow!

I definitely know we're related 'cause I can see myself in her.

Can't wait to see her.

How am I gonna sleep?!

[laughs] Just two days before her 51st birthday, Amanda has travelled to the East Midlands to be reunited with her mother.

Well, I just can't believe it actually, till I actually see her.

Can't believe that I'm meeting my birth mum.

It's a long time coming.

[Sue] I've always loved her.

Means a lot to me to give her a birthday present.

I wish my parents were still alive as well 'cause they would have loved to meet her.

And I hope she'll have forgave me... sorry... ...for giving her up.

I'm all right.

[laughs] Sorry.

[Amanda] She doesn't need to worry anymore.

It's about now.

It's about today.

About meeting each other today.

Mother and daughter are meeting under social distancing regulations at Amanda's hotel.

It'll be the first time they've seen each other in over half a century.

It's slowly been sinking in, gonna actually see her daughter that she's been trying to find for all this time.

Give me a hug.

-You all right?

-Yeah.

[Sue laughs] Hi there.

I can't hug you.

Not yet.

-You all right?

-I'm okay.

-All right.

-Good.

I've been crying this morning.

Yeah, I've got no tears left.

All week I've, like, had a churning feeling.

Yeah, like me.

I didn't sleep properly last night or the night before.

I just wanted to know what you were like.

Where I come from.

I just hope, Amanda... if you can forgive me for giving her up.

It's never even crossed my mind.

-That's good.

-I've had a good life.

That's good.

Dad and mum, they would have been over the moon.

Yeah.

Here I go again!

[laughing] -Come on, Sue, stop it.

-Yeah, we've done enough crying.

Yeah.

That's why I said, "They're looking down on us."

-Yeah.

-[Amanda] I definitely knew I belonged to her.

We've got the same eyes and mouth, yeah.

I knew instantly.

And there is an instant connection.

It's just there.

[Sue] I wanted to hug her.

It felt as though I'd known her for years.

I've got a little present for your birthday.

It's only a little something, but... [Amanda] I used to think on my birthday if she thinks about me.

Yeah, always have done.

Thank you.

Well, you'll be with me on my next one!

-Yeah.

-First present off my birth mum.

-♪ Happy birthday to you ♪ -[laughs] Best birthday present ever.

[Sue] Feels like I've got her back, you know.

Very proud of her.

She's lovely.

Hello.

Hello, little brother.

[exhales sharply] You okay?

Oooph!

Look at your eyes.

-What?

-They're nearly as nice as mine!

[laughs] It's crazy, innit?

Crazy, crazy.

[Sue] It was lovely seeing Trevor and Amanda together for the first time.

We've become a family.

It's nice to feel wanted.

It's a great feeling.

I feel I have the best of both worlds.

I've had that life, and now I'm gonna have a good one with my new birth mum.

Not many people can say that, can they?

[peaceful music playing]