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ITV show Long Lost Family helps elderly mum to find the baby girl who was taken from her nearly 70 years ago

EXCLUSIVE: Jean, 85, can still vividly remember the moment her newborn baby girl was taken from her when she was 16. A Long Lost Family special tracks down Jean’s daughter and highlights a UK-wide scandal

Jean finally finds her daughter Cathy, who she hasn’t seen for nearly 70 years(Image: ITV)

Nearly 70 years after she held her baby in her arms for the last time, elderly Jean’s eyes fill with tears as she remembers her newborn’s blue eyes and blonde hair. Her baby girl, who she named Maria, was snatched away for adoption without even time for a kiss goodbye – and Jean never saw her again, until now.

In heartbreaking scenes to be screened in a Long Lost Family: Mother and Baby Home Scandal special on ITV, the 85-year-old finally gets to meet the child who was taken away from her so brutally, leaving her traumatised for decades. Jean was just 16 in the summer of 1956 when she discovered she was pregnant by Tony, her first ever boyfriend. They wanted to marry, but having brought shame to her family, Jean was sent to the Home of the Good Shepherd Mother and Baby Home in Haslemere, Surrey, a home established by a moral welfare association connected to the Church of England, and a baptism and adoption were arranged.

Davina McCall with Jean, who has been looking for answers for decades(Image: ITV)

Jean, from Chertsey, Surrey, recalls: “It was a big house and we had to scrub all that clean. We had to go to chapel every morning and evening to ask forgiveness for what we’d done. I didn’t know I was pregnant at first because I wasn’t sure how you had a baby. I was terrified, I didn’t know what to do. My dad was a bully. I remember him saying to my mother, ‘I told you she’d be no good didn’t I?’ He called me the biggest whore under the sun when he found out I was pregnant. I couldn’t stay there because ‘What about my father’s job?’. You’d think he was the Prime Minister, instead of the caretaker of a school.” Jean adds: “I’ve always felt inferior, I’m not good enough for people.”

With no option, Jean and Tony reluctantly took their 10-week-old baby to the London offices of the Southwark Catholic Rescue society. Jean says: “I gave her to this woman who’d said we’d go and show her off, so I thought she was bringing her back to let us kiss her goodbye, but she didn’t. When she was 18, I wrote to the society to ask if they had any news of her. He wrote back and said ‘No’ and maybe we’ll be reunited in heaven one day. I thought that was a horrible thing to say to me.”

Cathy aged around two, after she had been taken from Jean and adopted(Image: ITV)

Jean’s story is just one of many distressing accounts from a period between the 1940s and the 1970s, when an estimated 200,000 unmarried women, many just teenagers, were placed in homes, run often by religious organisations – and thousands of their babies were taken for adoption. Lyn, who was in a Cornish mother and baby home, says: “No matter how far pregnant you were, you had to wait on the staff and scrub the floors. It was all draconian and very cruel. You’d walk down the middle of the church, and you’d hear, ‘Sl*g, prostitute, whore, slapper. ’ I mean what had we done wrong? Nothing. It was hell.”

The two-part ITV special, hosted by Davina McCall and Nicky Campbell, delves into this scandal, following three emotive searches. Davina says: “You’ve probably walked past a mother and baby home on a quiet suburban street and have no idea of its secret history or what happened to young unmarried mothers.”

Fortunately for Jean, there is a huge breakthrough as the Long Lost Family team tracks down her daughter, now named Cathy, with the middle name Maria. Mother-of-two Cathy, 68, who lives with Gary, her husband of 51 years, in Ilford, London, had a wonderful adoption and is thrilled to hear from her birth mother. She says: “I feel very sorry for what she had to go through – I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy. My own daughter is unmarried and has a daughter who lives with us and she’s a delight. I think it was an absolute disgrace the way women were treated in those days.”

Jean with daughter Cathy (to Jean’s right) together with family at their reunion(Image: ITV)

Tearful as she reads a letter from Jean asking for her forgiveness, she adds: “I never ever blamed her. I’m sad that she’s been looking for so long.” When Jean hears the news that Cathy has been found and wants to meet her, she is completely overwhelmed. Jean, who went on to have four other children and split from her husband, says: “I just hope she likes me and I don’t let her down.” There is a clear narrative that many of the women affected blamed themselves, with adoptions often forced on vulnerable young women.

Campaigners are now lobbying the UK government to join the Welsh, Scottish and Irish governments in apologising to those affected. But time is running out for these women to find any adopted children. Jean and Cathy are among the luckier ones. Both are nervous and emotional as they prepare to reunite, but immediately they hug and are clutching each other’s hands. “I didn’t think this day would ever come,” says Cathy. “We’ve been waiting nearly 69 years since she was last able to hug me.” Jean tells her: “We had nobody to help us and I had no choice. I had nowhere to go. I knew I couldn’t keep you so I tried not to love you too much.” Cathy replies: “I had a hole in my life, you had a hole in your life. We’ve now managed to fill the hole.”

Jean says afterwards: “I kept looking at my arms because last time she was in my arms. It will probably sink in a lot more as time goes by. But I’ve also got to try to forgive myself.” As the mother and daughter introduce each other to their extended families, Jean says: “Now I know why I’ve lived so long. This is the reason.” She adds: “I’m feeling quite happy inside. I still can’t believe it. I won’t need to worry about her anymore because she’s got a family and they seem very kind.” Cathy says: “This is going to change my life. That void has been filled.”

Viv and Julie’s mother Margaret (right) meeting Sian, her firstborn daughter, for the first time after 68 years apart(Image: ITV)

Also in the show, sisters Viv and Julie are looking for their lost older sibling on behalf of their mum Margaret, who gave birth in a Baptist Union-run mother and baby home called The Haven, in Yateley, Hampshire, in the late 1950s. Margaret was in the Royal Navy in Cornwall when she fell pregnant aged 20. The father hadn’t revealed he was married with a family and abandoned her. In a poignant moment, Margaret, now 89 and suffering from moderate dementia, recalls singing ‘You Are My Sunshine’ to her baby Helen, and sings the chorus, which ends ‘Please don’t take my sunshine away’.

Margaret adds: “I’d love to see her and know she’s had a good life. I want her to know I loved her and haven’t forgotten her.” Julie says: “I don’t think mum was given any choice. We had an older brother who died in a motorbike accident just before he was 30. So mum feels that she’s lost two children.”

Davina McCall with Ann, who wants to know what happened to her brother(Image: ITV)

Ann also wants to solve the mystery of what happened to her brother Martin, after their mother Cora gave birth in the Catholic mother and baby home, St Pelagia’s in Highgate, North London in 1962. Ann, from London, says: “I had no idea that there was an elder brother. And then one day, one of my younger sisters came across a death certificate which said, ‘Martin, son of Cora’. My mum promptly whipped it from her hands, tore it up, and said, ‘Give me that. Don’t worry about that. Just forget you ever saw it’.”

After her mother Cora’s death in 2008, Ann discovered that Martin’s father was a Sri Lankan man who Cora had fallen in love with at work. Ann says: “My mum had not only had a child out of wedlock, but to have had a mixed-race child then, she would have been doubly frowned upon.” Ann has since discovered racist descriptions of her brother in his file and proof he was rejected for adoption and taken in at a children’s home run by nuns. After handing Martin over fit and well at eight-weeks-old, Cora was told within 48 hours that he had died – but Ann wants to know the truth.

For Ann, closure appears to be hard reach, as the team investigates an alleged scandal in Ireland of babies being illegally adopted, with parents told the babies had died. Could this have happened in England too? With varying testimony, it’s tough to know for sure, but it is believed most likely that Martin would have died.

There is better news for Margaret as her 68-year-old daughter, now called Sian, is finally found after months of scouring the records. Sian has cerebral palsy, which was diagnosed after the adoption, which means she is non-verbal and has been a wheelchair user since childhood. She’s delighted that her birth mum has been looking for. Sian says: “I know that my mother had difficulties while I was being delivered, because the umbilical cord was wrapped around my neck, so oxygen didn’t get to me.”

Davina reveals to Viv and Julie that Sian has been found, and that when her condition was discovered, the adoptive family were asked if they wanted to give Sian back. Davina says: “They were offered the opportunity to swap her for another child without a disability. But they’d completely fallen in love with her.” Having shared the news with their mum, Viv says: “Mum said to us that now we’ve found Sian, she can die happy.”

Nicky Campbell with Sian, who was finally found by her long lost mother(Image: ITV)

A government spokesperson says: “This abhorrent practice should never have taken place and our deepest sympathies are with all those affected.” A spokesperson for the Church of England said: “It is horrifying to hear first-hand accounts of pain and distress experienced by women and their children connected to mother and baby homes, including any which were affiliated with the Church of England. There is no doubt that attitudes towards unmarried mothers in society at the time, including by many within the Church, often put immense pressure on young women to give up their babies for adoption. We all now recognise the profound and lasting impact some of these decisions have clearly had on so many lives and we express our heartfelt sorrow and regret for those who have been hurt.”

A spokesperson for the Diocese of Guildford said: “We feel immense sadness and regret for the emotional pain experienced by Jean and other women who were separated from their children. We are grateful to this programme for reuniting Jean with her daughter Cathy, but we are also aware that many like her would have sadly died without being reunited or having a sense of closure. While attitudes within the church and society have significantly changed since that time, it does not erase the lasting damage that these adoptions had on the women.” The Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary reflected and declined to comment and said that the allegation related to the “actions and decisions of sisters who are no longer with us”.

*Long Lost Family: The Mother And Baby Home Scandal airs across two nights on ITV1: September 3rd and 4th at 9pm

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Richard Madeley’s heartwarming return to This Morning 24 years after show exit

Jun 30, 2025 News Desk

Former This Morning presenter Richard Madeley made a surprise return to the ITV daytime show after 24 years

Almost 25 years since his departure, former This Morning icon Richard Madeley surprised viewers with an unexpected return to the ITV daytime staple.

The TV star, 69, originally co-hosted the show from its inception in 1988 with his wife Judy Finnigan before making their exit back in 2001.

Just before they left, the pair famously encountered Sarah Meyer. At the time she was the infant abandoned in a multi-storey car park by her mother, discovered just hours after she was born, cosily wrapped in a pink towel and white shawl.

Amidst national news coverage, Judy and Richard urgently appealed for help in finding her family, but their quest was met with frustration and dead ends.

Now aged 24, Sarah made a poignant comeback to This Morning on the Monday (June 30), sharing her determined journey to learn the mysteries of her birth story, reports Wales Online.

Now 24-year-old Sarah made an emotional return to This Morning(Image: ITV)

Appearing poised for a significant moment on ITV’s Long Lost Family: Born Without A Trace, Sarah stands as the youngest individual to embark on the search for family. ‌

This Morning host Ben Shephard warmly remarked: “It’s wonderful to have you back on our sofa after all these years after you first appeared as that tiny little baby.”

Delving into the archives, the broadcast featured a touching snapshot of Judy and Richard cradling an infant Sarah, prompting Ben to add, “Aww look at you in Judy’s arms. It’s just amazing as ever Richard looking over you.”

In an endearing twist, Ben disclosed: “We’ve actually got a little message for you Sarah. If you look over there, here is a little message for you.”

Richard Madeley made a surprise appearance on This Morning(Image: ITV)

Richard sent in a touching pre-recorded message to Sarah, which was aired on the show. The Good Morning Britain presenter began with: “Hi Sarah. Well what an end to an incredible story.”

He proceeded to say: “I believe it has been almost a quarter of a century since you were with us, just a little baby in our arms on the This Morning sofa and we were so genuinely passionate about trying to find your family for you.”

Richard then remarked: “After all these years it’s just brilliant news to hear that you have and you met your dad as well, which is a great end to an amazing story.”

He wrapped up with heartfelt felicitations: “Huge congratulations from Judy and me and what can I say except have a great rest of your life. Lots of love.”

This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV1 and ITVX

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TODAY’S TV WITH SARA WALLIS: Long Lost Family helps a man who was left outside toilet block as baby

Jun 18, 2025 News Desk

In another emotional instalment, two people who are foundlings, tell Davina and Nicky their stories and hope to trace family

06:00, 18 Jun 2025Updated 06:08, 18 Jun 2025

Davina McCall and searcher Simon Prothero in Long Lost Family: Born Without Trace(Image: ITV)

Every single story from Long Lost Family could be turned into a daytime sobathon movie in its own right. Pretty much every episode leaves viewers weeping into their wine, and this show is the perfect example of a cast-iron format that nails it every time. Davina McCall is walking along a coastline in a coat we all want to buy immediately.

She tells us the sad story of someone searching for their relative. Cut to said person’s kitchen and Davina has news. Pause. She produces a photo. Maybe even a letter. Everyone is in floods of tears, and that’s before the reunion even happens. Kleenex anyone?

Elsewhere, Nicky Campbell is providing a shoulder to cry on, while someone spits into a test tube. The spin-off series, Long Lost Family: Born Without Trace (tonight June 18, ITV, 9pm) focuses on foundlings, people left as babies, often in the most extraordinary places and in the first hours or days of life. We’ve heard about babies left in cardboard boxes, on doorsteps, at churches, in hospital car parks, and in one case a London phone box and even under a hedge.

Davina McCall and Nicky Campbell help people find loved ones

In tonight’s emotional episode, Simon Prothero tells how he was found as a newborn in the summer of 1966 in the outside toilet block of a children’s home in Neath, Wales. Simon, who was adopted and grew up 10 miles away, says: “I don’t know where I was born, when I was born, what the circumstances were. I don’t know who my mother is.” As the team cracks into action, it’s especially sad as we learn that Simon’s adoptive parents and his wife Helen have died, but a DNA search connects to a large family from North Wales. Watch out for the moment Simon discovers his birth mother is alive and in her 80s, though she’s not yet ready for contact.

In another story, Lisa Dyke tells how she was discovered as a newborn in May 1969, just a few hours old, outside a health clinic in Christchurch, Dorset. She’d been put into another baby’s pram. She says: “Why was I left in another child’s pram? Who left me? I just want to know the truth.”

Long Lost Family: Born Without Trace is airing on ITV tonight at 9pm.

There’s plenty more on TV tonight – here’s the best of the rest..

RACE ACROSS THE WORLD, BBC1, 9pm

It’s been emotional, as five intrepid pairs have taken on the 14,000km race of a lifetime, from the Great Wall of China to the southern tip of India. In the end, mother and son Caroline and Tom took first place in a hard-fought win. Six months later, the contestants meet for the first time in this reunion episode, sharing their greatest highs and agonising lows. The teams reminisce about being forced out of their comfort zones and traversing the two most populated countries on earth.

For former married couple, Yin and Gaz, it’s a chance to learn who has won the race. Brothers Brian and Melvyn look back at how the race enabled them to make up for lost time, while sisters Elizabeth and Letitia tell how the adventure changed them. Teenage couple Fin and Sioned, who were catapulted into the deep end for their first backpacking experience together, share their future plans. An intimate insight with behind-the-scenes insights and unseen moments. “I wish we were starting it all again,” says Caroline.

THE BUCCANEERS, APPLE TV+

For anyone not familiar with ‘The Buccaneers’, they are a group of fun-loving young American girls, who exploded into the tightly corseted London of the 1870s, setting hearts racing. Now, the Buccaneers are no longer the invaders – England is their home. In fact, they’re practically running the place.

Nan (Kristine Froseth) is the Duchess of Tintagel, the most influential woman in the country. Conchita (Alisha Boe) is Lady Brightlingsea, heroine to a wave of young American heiresses. And Jinny (Imogen Waterhouse) is on every front page, wanted for the kidnapping of her unborn child.

All of the girls have been forced to grow up and now have to fight to be heard, as they wrestle with romance, lust, jealousy, births and deaths. Last time we got a taste of England. This time we’re in for a veritable feast. Also starring Christina Hendricks as Nan’s mum Patti, this is an addictive culture-clash historical romp.

EMMERDALE, ITV1, 7.30pm

Getting increasingly frustrated with his motorbike, Bear snaps and threatens Kammy. Paddy sees this from a distance and puts a stop to it. Paddy and Mandy are dumbfounded when Bear later acts as if nothing has happened. Bear becomes irritated by their questioning and heads away upstairs, leaving Paddy and Mandy to fear that things are getting worse. Vinny continues to give Kammy the cold shoulder. Vanessa tries to get through to Tracy, but Tracy’s not interested in her excuses.

EASTENDERS, BBC1, 7.30pm

Kat doesn’t feel any better following her conversation with Alfie and feels that he isn’t being completely honest with her. The drinks start flowing at Elaine’s divorce party. As the night gets steadily messier, Elaine shocks Linda by declaring that the Prosecco is on the house all night. Later, a tipsy Elaine offers to book Priya a singles cruise, saying she can pay her back later. Linda is then horrified to see £5k leave the business account and confronts Elaine.

CORONATION STREET, ITV1, 8pm

Glenda and Sean hand out leaflets advertising the Rovers’ Drag Night. Todd suggests to Theo they should go. When Debbie admits to Bernie that she finds it hard being in the same room as Ronnie, Bernie suggests they head to her hotel. Dee-Dee opens a letter stating that Laila is due for her vaccinations but when Michael tells her that James is in Leeds, she realises that she’ll have to take Laila herself. Kevin gets ready to leave for his chemo session.

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Must-watch shows this week – Soccer Aid, Noel Edmonds and explosive dramas

Jun 14, 2025 News Desk

While new shows are set to air this week, Soccer Aid also makes comeback to ITV with a multitude of familiar faces – from Tyson Fury to Jill Scott – taking part in the challenge.

Davina McCall and Nicky Campbell will host the newest series of Long Lost Family(Image: ITV)

Another week of TV lies ahead, with plenty of shows to keep everybody happy – from nail-biting dramas and hard-hitting documentaries to long-awaited favourites.

Soccer Aid makes an anticipated return with Dermot O’Leary and Alex Scott set to host the charity football match on ITV. But another comeback is expected, with Noel Edmonds fronting a new show lifting the lid on his new life in New Zealand.

Over on Channel 5, Downton Abbey legend Phyllis Logan takes on a gritty role in Murder Most Puzzling, portraying the wine-guzzling crossword master Cora Felton.

For Channel 4, on the other hand, Silent Witness actress Emilia Fox leaves no stone unturned as she explores some of Britain’s unresolved cases alongside Professor David Wilson in the third series of true crime show, In The Footsteps of Killers.

READ MORE: Apple iOS 26 could convince users to upgrade – this iPhone 16 deal stands out

Ryan Reynolds narrates a light-hearted documentary about nature’s benchwarmers – from insects to amphibians(Image: National Geographic)

Underdogs

Monday, Disney+

Ryan Reynolds flips the script and pays tribute to the bottom of the food chain in this light-hearted documentary. Teaming up with National Geographic, the Deadpool star lifts the lid on the secret lives of nature’s benchwarmers, from slugs and insects to amphibians and fish.

Featuring a range of never-before-filmed scenes, each episode of this five-part series shines alight on their bizarre mating strategies, dubious parenting skills and even their most nauseating behaviours as it finally gives these overlooked superstars their well-deserved glory.

Old Trafford plays host to the world’s biggest celebrity charity match with Tyson Fury and Wayne Rooney set to co-manage England(Image: PA)

Soccer Aid for UNICEF

Sunday, ITV1

Old Trafford plays host to the world’s biggest celebrity charity match once again, as Soccer Aid for UNICEF returns for its 2025 showdown.

This year’s star-studded line-up sees the England team face off against the Soccer Aid XI FC in a match that’s as much about heart as it is about goals.

Expect football legends like Wayne Rooney, Jill Scott and Gary Neville, alongside celebrities like Tyson Fury, Vicky McClure and Tom Grennan. All in aid of one brilliant cause – helping children everywhere.

Pale Mountains

Monday, C4

This chilling new crime thriller plunges us into Bolzano, Southern Tyrol, where Italian detective Paolo (played by Matteo Martari) is forced to face his past when a serial killer he once hunted – costing him a leg and his girlfriend – resurfaces after years in hiding, targeting German-speaking victims.

Caught up in a cold case that turns into an obsession, Paolo teams up with the sharp and ambitious assistant DA Eva Kofler (Elena Radonicich) as the pair navigate cultural divides, buried trauma and grisly secrets in this stylish, slow-burn nail-biter.

My Life is Murder

Tuesday, 9pm, U&Alibi

Lucy Lawless reprises her role as PI Alexa Crowe in the fourth season of this loveable crime drama from Down Under. When a wealthy socialite dies in suspicious circumstances, leaving her entire fortune to her cat, Alexa investigates a heady world of high society gossip.

Aided by tech guru Madison (Ebony Vagulans), cafe owner Reuben (Joe Naufahu), brother Will (Martin Henderson) and detective Harry (Rawiri Jobe), Alexa also comes face to face with new potential enemies with Bill Bailey and Rodger Corser making guest appearances.

Professor David Wilson and Emilia Fox return to screens to front the third season of In the Footsteps of Killers(Image: Channel 4)

In the Footsteps of Killers

Tuesday, C4

Emilia Fox (Silent Witness) returns alongside leading criminologist Professor David Wilson for the gripping third season of In the Footsteps of Killers. Each episode sees the pair reopen Britain’s most baffling unsolved murders – cold cases left gathering dust for decades.

Armed with cutting-edge forensic science and razor-sharp criminological insight, they retrace the victim’s final moments, challenge old assumptions, and uncover fresh leads the original investigations missed. It’s real-time justice in motion.

The Buccaneers return for a second season on Apple TV+(Image: Copyrighted)

The Buccaneers

Wednesday, Apple TV+

After invading the tightly corseted London of the 1870s, the American Buccaneers are fully settled in the second season of the eponymous show – in fact, they’re practically running the place.

Kristine Froseth, Josie Totah, Alisha Boe, Aubri Ibrag and Imogen Waterhouse all reprise their roles as the fun-loving American girls alongside Matthew Broome, Christina Hendricks and Guy Remmers.

Nan now has to navigate influence and power, while Jinny is thrown into the spotlight when she’s wanted for the kidnap of her unborn child. The girls wrestle everything from romance, jealousy and even death as they fight to be heard.

Davina McCall and Nicky Campbell meet new people to help them reconnect with their Long Lost Family(Image: ITV)

Long Lost Family: Born Without Trace

Wednesday, ITV

Davina McCall and Nicky Campbell return for the deeply moving seventh series of Long Lost Family: Born Without Trace. Across three captivating episodes, the team helps individuals who were abandoned as babies discover their biological roots using advanced DNA testing and archival detective work.

With the steady hand of social worker Ariel Bruce, stories unfold that span continents and decades. Heartbreaking yet hopeful, this series remains a tribute to resilience, identity and the enduring human need to belong.

Outrageous is a thrilling look at the lives of the Mitford sisters(Image: KEVIN BAKER)

Outrageous

Thursday, 9pm, U&Drama

Scandal and ideology explode in Outrageous, a darkly-elegant period drama based on the real-life Mitford sisters. At the centre is Susan (Bessie Carter), a whip-smart journalist whose literary voice clashes with the rising fascism of 1930s Britain.

Meanwhile, her sisters fall under the spell of dangerous men: Diana (Joanna Vanderham) is seduced by Oswald Mosley while Unity (Shannon Watson) becomes shockingly smitten with Adolf Hitler. As the world teeters on war, family bonds are pushed to their limits in this gripping tale of loyalty, betrayal and legacy.

Prost

Thursday, BBC4

Four-time World Champion, winner of 51 Grands Prix and F1 legend Alain Prost looks back on his lifelong career, spanning throughout more than four decades in this enlightening six-part series.

From his childhood passion for karting and the ranks to Formula 3 to his triumphs and losses, this show also delves deep into Alain’s iconic rivalry with teammate Ayrton Senna – who eventually became an unexpected friend.

Phyllis Logan stars as Cora Felton in Murder Most Puzzling

Murder Most Puzzling

Thursday, C5

Downton Abbey’s Phyllis Logan swaps stately homes for sleuthing in this charming new six-part crime drama. As Cora Felton, a sassy, wine-loving crossword columnist with a sharp tongue and even sharper mind, she’s unexpectedly drawn into a murder investigation when a teenage girl is found dead – and a bizarre crossword clue is left by the body.

Teaming up with the reluctant DCI Hooper (Adam Best), Cora becomes the police’s wildcard, solving puzzles and crossing lines in equal measure. Think Miss Marple and Ludwig – but with extra sass.

Corsica: Jewel of the Med

Friday, 5

With 600 miles of stunning coastline, Corsica is known as the island of beauty. Now, for 5, this show delves deep into the nation’s lush green forests and majestic mountains and its rich history blending both Italian and French heritage.

The journey takes viewers from Bastia, a foodie paradise on the northeast coast of the island, to its capital, Ajaccio, among the west coast’s thriving hillsides – the birthplace of one of the world’s most famous military leaders, Napoleon Bonaparte.

Isle of Wight Festival

Friday, Sky

The party kicks off at Seaclose Park with an access-all-areas backstage pass to the summer’s hottest ticket, The Isle of Wight festival 2025.

From the incomparable Sting to the legendary Stereophonics, household names take to the main stage – but that’s not all viewers can expect.

More incredible sets from favourites like Faithless, The Script, Busted, Razorlight, Jess Glynne, Clean Bandit, Supergrass and Olly Murs are all on the bill for another unforgettable evening of classic tunes.

Noel Edmonds opens up about his new life in New Zealand as he takes on an ambitious project(Image: ITV)

Noel Edmonds’ Kiwi Adventure

Friday, ITV

From Deal or No Deal to rural New Zealand, Noel Edmonds has made the ultimate career pivot – and now, he’s inviting viewers along for the ride.

Having ditched UK fame for a new life in the remote village of Ngatimoti, Noel’s now embarking on a bold eco-project: creating the country’s first ever energy garden.

But with unrelenting weather, cultural clashes and a community slow to warm up, it’s no easy ride. Can he make his Kiwi dream grow – or will it wilt?

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