My mum never told me she loved me growing up as an only child – now I know the tragic secret behind her coldness

A woman breaks down in tears as Davina McCall tells her that she’s found her older brother during Thursday’s episode of Long Lost Family. 

The upcoming instalment of the much-loved ITV series, presented by Davina and Nicky Campbell, follows the story of a woman called Jane Dundas, 56, who is looking for her sibling, after being brought up believing she was an only child. 

Jane, who lives in Wales, wanted to get in touch with the team after a health scare made he realise it was important to try and find her brother.

The mother-of-two explains that she felt as if her late mum Marion was ‘cold’ and ‘distant’ towards her.

‘My mum never said I love you. She couldn’t show emotion. She lived with a big secret,’ she tells the camera.

When she was 18-years-old, Jane found out why – it was because she had actually given birth to her brother 11 months before her, but gave him up. 

A woman breaks down in tears as Davina McCall tells her that she's found her older brother during Thursday's episode of Long Lost Family

A woman breaks down in tears as Davina McCall tells her that she’s found her older brother during Thursday’s episode of Long Lost Family

The upcoming instalment of the much-loved ITV series, presented by Davina and Nicky Campbell, follows the story of a woman called Jane Dundas, 56, who is looking for her sibling, after being brought up believing she was an only child

The upcoming instalment of the much-loved ITV series, presented by Davina and Nicky Campbell, follows the story of a woman called Jane Dundas, 56, who is looking for her sibling, after being brought up believing she was an only child

Jane says: ‘She did love him. She told me she didn’t want to give him away. But it was never spoken about again.’

Marion welcomed her brother into the world when she was unmarried, her parents were Welsh Baptists and her granddad was a preacher – so Jane thinks that is the reason why she didn’t tell anyone and put him up for adoption. 

So when Marion fell pregnant while unmarried with Jane, her friend Sandra told her to explain it to her parents, and luckily they were supportive of the situation. 

And luckily, the Long Lost Family team manage to find him after finding out his adoptive name – Stephen Smith. 

In an exclusive clip obtained by Daily Mail, Davina tells Jane: ‘I know you’ve been through a loit in the last three years, and I wanted to come today to bring you some news…

‘Your brother has been found.’

Breaking down in tears, Jane asks: ‘Is he really?’

Davina tells her: ‘Yeah.’

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In an exclusive clip obtained by Daily Mail, Davina tells Jane: 'I know you've been through a loit in the last three years, and I wanted to come today to bring you some news... your brother has been found'

In an exclusive clip obtained by Daily Mail, Davina tells Jane: ‘I know you’ve been through a loit in the last three years, and I wanted to come today to bring you some news… your brother has been found’

But Jane can’t believe her ears and asks again: ‘Really? Does he want to see me? Does he want to know?’

Davina nods her head and that leads Jane on to ask her if he is okay, to which Davina tells her: ‘Yes.’ 

Shocked by what she has just been told, Jane simply says: ‘Oh wow.’

Davina tells her: ‘He’s called Steve.’

It comes after a woman broke down in tears as she reveals the biggest fear about coming face to face with sister she has never met during last week’s episode of Long Lost Family. 

64-year-old Jackie appears on Thursday (22 January 2026) to ask Davina and Nicky for help after being told that she had a sibling that she never knew about when she was 20 years old. 

Jackie, who now lives in Sussex, grew up with her parents and two brothers, but after her mum and dad got divorced, she dropped a huge bombshell – that she had a younger sister that was put up for adoption.

However her mother wouldn’t give her any other information, so she had to wait until she passed away to see if she could find her herself. 

She said: ‘I can’t just leave it. Knowing there’s someone out there, she’s my flesh and blood. 

‘I’m petrified of looking for her, being, you know, rejected. But I’ve just got to try.’

A woman broke down in tears as she revealed the biggest fear about coming face to face with sister she has never met on Long Lost Family

A woman broke down in tears as she revealed the biggest fear about coming face to face with sister she has never met on Long Lost Family

64-year-old Jackie appears on our screens tonight (22 January 2026) to ask Davina McCall (pictured) and Nicky Campbell for help after being told that she had a sibling she's never met

64-year-old Jackie appears on our screens tonight (22 January 2026) to ask Davina McCall (pictured) and Nicky Campbell for help after being told that she had a sibling she’s never met

Jackie was told by her mother when she was 20-years-old that she had a younger sister that she had never met

Jackie was told by her mother when she was 20-years-old that she had a younger sister that she had never met

She added: ‘That’s the most bizarre thing. I’ve never met her… 

‘But I just, I don’t know. It’s just love there for her. Every day. I wake up thinking, “Oh, is she awake? What’s she doing?”. 

‘Every day she’s on my mind.’

Luckily they managed to track her younger sister down, despite only being given her date of birth.

‘Your sister has been found,’ Davina told her. 

Visibly shaking and in tears, Jackie said: ‘Oh Davina.’ 

She added: ‘Oh my God, I’m so happy. That’s just the best news. The best news.’ 

Her sister, called Christine, is married and lives in the Wirral. 

The team found Christine - who is married and lives in the Wirral (pictured right)

The team found Christine – who is married and lives in the Wirral (pictured right)

Christine told the camera: ‘When I had heard the news that I actually had a sister it was just like an out of body experience, it was like I was up there and my body was like down there still and you’re sort of thinking “No, seriously?”’

When the siblings finally meet up, it’s a very emotional reunion and Jackie tells Christine: ‘Oh my God, I can’t stop looking at you. Honest, it’s like looking at my double.’

Elsewhere in the episode a man hunted for his estranged sibling after learning that his sister is actually his mum – and he was raised by his grandparents all along. 

Scott Shearer grew up in Aldershot with his three sisters, two brothers, his dad Ted and mum Slyvia, but he had no idea until he was 12 that his parents were actually his grandparents, and his siblings were in fact his aunts and uncles.

He was also told  that his older sister Pauline, who had left home, was actually his biological mother – and she was also mum to twins and another girl. 

Since finding out that information, Scott has managed to reunite with his mum and the twins, but wants help from the Long Lost Family team to find his older sister Tina.  

Speaking about his estranged sibling on Long Lost Family, he said: ‘She remains a mystery. An enigma. 

‘I have always felt a connection to her even though I have never met her. She is the first born of the clan. 

‘She is the big sister and I want her to know she’s always been in our minds. It is not her fault she was adopted. 

‘She did nothing wrong and needs to know she is loved.’

On the show it is revealed that Scott’s mum Pauline got married at 16-years-old, later welcomed Tina into the world, shortly followed by the twins a year later. 

She ended up having an affair three years later and then gave birth to Scott. 

But having four children under one roof proved too much for her, so she put Tina and the twins up for adoption, and her parents looked after Scott.

The Long Lost Family team manage to find mum-of-two Tina in Southampton. 

When she finds out that her brother is looking for her, she said: ‘I didn’t know. I can remember some twins that were younger than me.

‘I can remember them as tiny and gorgeous. 

‘But this is a massive surprise.

‘It gives you a warmth knowing that somebody you didn’t know about is thinking about you.’

When they meet for the first time, Scott told Tina: ‘It’s like all your Christmases coming early. You are my big sister. 

‘This is one of the best days of my life. Everyone is so excited you have been found.

‘The most important thing is you were never forgotten. You were always in our thoughts. We have always loved you. You were missed.

‘I am proud to have a big sister who is bubbly and funny and as beautiful as she is. It is like we were never apart.’

Long Lost Family airs Thursdays on ITV1 and is available to stream on ITVX. 

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