Something weird and almost magical happens whenever I sit down to watch an episode of ‘Long Lost Family’ on ITV1(the show where it reunites family members who have either lost touch or been adopted). For example, when I sat down to watch the first episode of the new series last Wednesday I was determined I was not going to be crying by the end of it. Man up I thought to myself, get a grip you silly over sensitive sod.  There was not one emotional tear of mine in sight as the programme started.  By the end of it however I had tears rolling down my face and I felt like I’d just watched the entire box-set of The Thorn Birds(a famous tear jerking Drama mini-series in the eighties starring Richard Chamberlain) , whilst peeling an onion at the same time.  ie emotional tears were aplenty.

The thing is though I loved getting in such an emotional state by the end of it because they were joyous tears.  They were also life affirming tears, tears that were the result of being incredibly moved by a heart rendering story just told to us. I have seen many episodes of ‘Long Lost Family’ in the last few years and many of the stories in them have moved me greatly.  However, I think one of the stories featured in this first episode last week is without doubt the one that has moved me the most.

The moving story I refer to featured an ex British Army soldier from Yorkshire called Paul who now lives in Poole with his partner Julie.  Whilst stationed in a British Army base in Germany in the nineteen eighties, in the local town he met a German girl called Michelle and soon after she became pregnant.  Paul played the doting Dad juggling army life with being a new parent.  Early on in the story you could tell he was a good guy.  Disaster happened however when soon after becoming a Dad with his new baby daughter Karina, without choice he got posted back to the UK.  Michelle did not want to go back with him and so he had no choice but to go back to England alone.

We were then told had how Paul made strenuous efforts to try and keep contact with Michelle and his new daughter. He would ring them up frequently and send over cards, clothes and presents for Karina. A few months past and Michelle’s Grandma answered the phone one time and told him not to ring up ever again due to Michelle having just got married.  He got shoved away from being part of Karina’s life and it was heartbreaking stuff to listen too.

Twenty-eight years on, he longed to see his daughter once again after her being ever present in his thoughts.  I thought Nicky Campbell(as one of the two presenters, the other being Davina McCall) was brilliant when he flew over to Germany to talk about it all with Karina.  Karina straight away to me seemed like a lovely sincere person, just like her Father Paul.  I instantly warmed to her and how she too longed to see her real Father.  When she started crying at being shown a recent photograph of her Father, well I too started getting all emotional. Such a loving reaction from her was such a moving thing to see.  She told Nicky how she had not known Paul was her real Father until she was thirteen.  Furthermore, she had no idea he had tried to keep in touch at the start. Her Mother had kept the presents he had sent for Karina away from her.

I know the reunion bits at the end of this show are always the most emotional bits to watch, however even I was taken aback how moved I was at watching Karina and Paul being reunited.  I think it is one of the most moving pieces of television that I have seen in years.  I even got quite choked up thinking about their story whilst doing this blog.  Human happiness like that is such lovely thing to witness after so many years of heartache.

I know some people mock this show for being far too soppy and overly sentimental but I am completely in the opposing camp.  I love the presenters in the form of Davina McCall and Nicky Campbell. I love how supportive and caring they are to the people involved.  I love how this show helps bring people back together.  It is a life affirming show.  There is a saying that goes, ‘you have to know the past to understand the present’. This is so applicable to this show and the lives of the people featured.

I find the back stories fascinating too.  The history of an earlier time in Britain is interesting, especially when compared to the drastically different social climate of today. I also think is well shot and the background music really adds to the emotive scenes we witness on screen.

I love things in the arts that have a profound emotional impact on me.  I much prefer books, films and television programmes that move to tears rather than say make me laugh.  I hate ‘THE X-FACTOR’ or any other Simon Cowell project because the sob stories on there are sooooooo over-the-top and far fetched that they just infuriate me.  I have become desensitized at hearing how say Billy from Grimsby(who has three eyes from birth) wants to win so he can dedicate it to his pet goldfish called Rupert, who died when he leapt out of his bowl last year due to dancing to the ‘Footloose’ song that came on the telly.  I exaggerate here of course but hopefully you get my point.  My point is that ‘Long Lost Family’ genuinely moves me and I love the show for having such powerful impact on me.

I accept it might not be everybody’s cup of tea but I love ‘Long Lost Family’.  It is soooooo good to have you in my life once again! 5/5.