Kym Marsh broke down in tears as she honoured a Pride Of Britain recipient with an award during the emotional ceremony which aired on ITV on Thursday night.
The actress and singer, 48, was visibly emotional as she gave former midwife Agnes Nisbett, 87, the Community Hero honour during the event.
She was recognised for her incredible work with grieving mothers who lost their babies due to stillbirth.
Agnes lost her child after a stillbirth in 1973 – while Kym’s son Archie died in 2009 after being born just 21 weeks into her pregnancy.
Agnes was a campaigner for providing a sanctuary for grieving parents in hospitals as part of the Born Whilst Sleeping programme at Leicester Royal Infirmary where mothers could be separated from new parents and their newborns.
Kym Marsh broke down in tears as she honoured a Pride Of Britain recipient with an award during the emotional ceremony which aired on ITV on Thursday night
The actress and singer, 48, was visibly emotional as she gave former midwife Agnes Nisbett, 87, the Community Hero honour during the event
Speaking to Agnes on stage Kym said: ‘From one mother who has experienced baby loss to another, thank you.
‘My son would have been 16 next year and there is no doubt you made the experience more bearable so from the bottom of my heart. Thank you.’
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Earlier this year Kym opened up on the ‘stigma’ surrounding talking about the loss of a child, as she admitted she ‘felt very alone’ after her son Archie’s death.
The star and her now ex-husband Jamie Lomas, 48, were left heartbroken when their baby boy passed away at just 21 weeks following a premature birth in February 2009.
She explained that she struggled talking about her loss at first, out of fear that it would make it feel ‘real’, but that opening up ended up helping her get through her grief, while bringing her family closer.
However, Kym revealed there is a ‘huge taboo’ around talking about losing a child, as it ‘makes people uncomfortable’, which left her feeling ‘alone and isolated’.
Before Agnes was presented with the award by Kym she was surprised by Gordon and Tana Ramsay who told her she had won.
Tana tragically had to deliver her stillborn son Rocky at 20 weeks in 2016.
In the film during the surprise Gordon and Tana walked up to Agnes as she dined in London and announced: ‘Well, good afternoon. Sorry to disturb your lunch.’
Agnes lost her child after a stillbirth in 1973 – while Kym’s son Archie died in 2009 after being born just 21 weeks into her pregnancy
Speaking to Agnes on stage Kym said: ‘From one mother who has experienced baby loss to another, thank you’
Kym added: ‘My son would have been 16 next year and there is no doubt you made the experience more bearable so from the bottom of my heart. Thank you’
Before Agnes was presented with the award by Kym she was surprised by Gordon and Tana Ramsay who told her she had won
She was then told she would be getting the incredible award.
Gordon then emotionally told Agnes of their stillbirth: ‘Six years ago we experienced that, so we couldn’t be happier to be here.’
Tana said afterwards: ‘Who she is and what she has done for so, so many women is incredible, impactful, and exactly why she has been given this award.
‘Gordon and I were really honoured to be a part of her special surprise, and to talk about our own journey with a real understanding about the importance of the immediate support parents receive in those heartbreaking first moments.’
Elsewhere in the show viewers were left in tears just minutes into it kicking off on ITV on Thursday night.
The opening segment featured leukaemia survivor Florence Bark, eight, who was surprised by her favourite pop star Perrie Edwards in a sweet film ahead of winning the Child of Courage Award.
The now TikTok star was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) in 2022. At the time, her family told she was awaiting a bone marrow transplant but a rare gene mutation that affects 10 per cent of cases meant the transplant was likely to fail.
After a two-year battle with the illness which saw Florence, from Corby, win hundreds of thousands of fans online, she shared in July that she was cancer-free.
Florence, who goes by the nickname Florrie, was first was diagnosed with AML in May 2022, after he parents noticed she’d contracted a bout of infections.
During The Pride of Britain Awards a film showed Florrie being treated to a day out in London with her parents Stacey, 34 and Andrew Bark, 36.
They thought they were just watched videos of Perrie, before the Little Mix star, 31, popped out to surprise them
Florrie was delighted as they hugged and Perrie introduced herself before they chatted away.
Viewers at home were left in tears at the sweet film as they penned on X: ‘Watching pride of Britain awards and how emotional!! Florrie is an amazing little girl..so brave and inspirational.’,
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‘Tissues at ready #prideofbritain.’,
‘Omg, did you see the first Pride of Britain award! Florrie…….glad I had tissue nearby!’,
‘Why on earth do I put myself through this every year .#pride of Britain . What a brilliant little girl florrie is . More tissues pls.’,
‘Less than 10 minutes into Pride of Britain and #Florrie has not only lit up my life, but made me shed a tear or two. What an inspirational, brave young lady.’,
‘This wee girl Florrie on Pride of Britain what a brave wee girl and such a character love her and she’s also raised so much money.’
The annual Pride Of Britain Awards has returning for its 25th year, with Ashley Banjo and Carol Vorderman back as co-hosts.
Sam Thompson and Pete Wicks were on hand to host the red carpet on Tuesday, while GK Barry was presenting online content at her very own bar during the event.
Taking place since 1999, the ceremony honours the achievements of truly remarkable people from across the UK and all walks of life – nominated by members of the public.
After a shortlist was produced from the thousands of entries, winners were chosen by the Pride of Britain judging panel.
Ahead of the ceremony, The King and the Prime Minister Keir Starmer led tributes to the nation’s unsung heroes.
The King called them ‘the very best’ of us, while Sir Keir said, ‘They embody everything that is great about Britain’.
King Charles’ words were included in a letter to King’s Trust Young Achiever winner Molly Leonard, whose grandmother shed tears of pride as she read it to her.
In addition to praising Molly, he wrote: ‘On this 25th anniversary of the Pride of Britain Awards, I send my warmest admiration to all of this year’s winners. You each represent the very best in our society.’
The Prime Minister told the winners: ‘Britain is proud of you’.
‘For a quarter of a century, the Pride of Britain awards have celebrated the people who embody everything that is great about Britain.
In the film during the surprise Gordon and Tana walked up to Agnes as she dined in London and announced: ‘Well, good afternoon. Sorry to disturb your lunch’
Gordon then emotionally told Agnes of their stillbirth: ‘Six years ago we experienced that, so we couldn’t be happier to be here’
‘These are people from all walks of life, but they all have one thing in common. They’re heroes.
‘They may not be the cape-wearing superheroes we normally think of – in fact, they look just like the rest of us.
‘But they do have something that makes them very special indeed. Bravery, determination, generosity, empathy and huge spirit.
‘They have the power to touch our hearts, to make us hopeful, to make us proud. They’re a testament to the incredible things people can achieve even in the face of hardship.’