Ben Shephard makes emotional return to Good Morning Britain - and fans are left in tears

Fans of Good Morning Britain were left in tears on Thursday morning as the much-loved Ben Shephard made a much-awaited return to the ITV set.

The recent segment saw hosts Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley warmly greet Pride Of Britain awardee 10-year-old Jacob Newson, who has remarkably gathered over £160,000 in tribute to his late mother.

When they discovered that This Morning's Ben, aged 49, ranked high on the youngsters' list of heroes and hoped to meet him, the GMB crew orchestrated an endearing surprise for Jacob.

Ben caused quite the stir as he walked into the studio to astonish the young lad. He also shared an exclusive message from Jacob's preferred football squad, an act that overwhelmed him with emotion.

Commenting on the special occasion, Susanna beamed, "Lovely to see you back! " which was met by Ben's heartfelt response: "Gosh, it's funny being back! ". Richard, ever ready with a quip, chimed in: "Fancy taking over Ben?" reports the Mirror.

Emotions ran high among viewers as well, and many reached out through Twitter to express their reactions. One touched fan posted: "#GMB What an amazing, inspiring young man. I cannot stop crying #prideofbritain @GMB."

Another viewer expressed their sentiment, saying: "Oh god, I'm crying at 7.45am, his reaction to being a mascot at Leeds #GMB," and another echoed the mood: "It's a while since @benshephard has made me cry on @GMB #GMB #Jacob #PrideofBritainAwards."

This heartwarming meeting follows Jacob's statement earlier in the week, as he said his mother would be "filling heaven up" with tears after seeing the incredible amount he's raised for charity in her honour.

Jacob was seven years old when he lost his mother, Andrea, to breast cancer in December 2020 when she was just 49.

Since her passing, Jacob and his father Andrew have embarked on numerous fundraising adventures both domestically and internationally, amassing over £160,000 for St Gemma's Hospice in Leeds, which cared for his mother, and the Royal Air Force (RAF) Benevolent Fund, an organisation offering lifelong assistance to current and former RAF personnel and their families.

Known as Jacob the Pilot due to his passion for aircraft and aviation, the young boy's endeavours were recently acknowledged at the 25th Pride of Britain Awards, where he was honoured with the Good Morning Britain Young Fundraiser of the Year award.

The father-son team has undertaken several charity challenges in recent years, including scaling Ben Nevis, completing the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge, and conquering Mount Toubkal, North Africa's tallest mountain, in Morocco.

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

Good Morning Britain airs weekdays at 6am on ITV.