Ben Shephard returns to GMB for first time in two years for very special reason

Fans of Good Morning Britain were overjoyed on Thursday when the show's former presenter, Ben Shephard, made a return to the ITV studios. In the latest episode, co-hosts Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley introduced 10 year old Pride Of Britain winner Jacob Newson.

Jacob has raised an impressive sum exceeding £160,000 in tribute to his late mother. Discovering that Ben Shephard was one of Jacob's idols and that he dreamed of meeting him, the GMB crew arranged a touching surprise for the young fundraiser.

To Jacob's amazement, Ben strolled into the studio, not only to fulfil the boy's wish but also to present him with a heartfelt message from his beloved football team—a gesture that deeply moved Jacob to tears. Susanna expressed her pleasure at Ben's come back to the show, saying "Lovely to see you back! " Ben himself commented on how unusual it felt to be in the studio again, stating: "Gosh, it's funny being back! " adding humour to the situation, Richard quipped, "Fancy taking over Ben? " The emotional reunion did not just stir feelings in the studio; viewers at home were equally touched as they took to Twitter to express their reactions.

One user posted: "#GMB What an amazing inspiring young man. I cannot stop crying #prideofbritain @GMB."

Another viewer mentioned tearing up early in the morning about Jacob being able to mascot for Leeds, and others praised Ben's emotive appearance on the programme. The segment comes shortly after Jacob expressed how proud his mother would be, saying he imagined she'd be "filling heaven up" with tears, reflecting on the Pride of Britain accolade he received for his charity work earlier in the week, reports the Mirror.

Jacob, a seven year old from Leeds, lost his mother, Andrea, to breast cancer in December 2020 when she was just 49. Since then, Jacob and his father Andrew have embarked on numerous fundraising expeditions both domestically and internationally, raising over £160,000 for St Gemma's Hospice in Leeds, which cared for his mother, and the Royal Air Force (RAF) Benevolent Fund, which offers lifelong support to serving and former RAF personnel and their families.

Known as Jacob the Pilot due to his passion for planes and flying, the young boy's efforts were recently acknowledged at the 25th Pride of Britain Awards, where he received the Good Morning Britain Young Fundraiser of the Year award. The father-son team have completed several charity challenges in recent years, including climbing Ben Nevis, completing the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge, and conquering North Africa's highest peak, Mount Toubkal in Morocco.

In August, the adventurous duo completed a four-day trek across the Pyrenees from France to Spain.