Long Lost Family ITV is well-known for being an absolute tear jerker – but Monday night’s episode (February 8) was one for the records.
Mum-of-one Claire, 58, searched for her parents in Hong Kong, after being abandoned in a stairwell as a baby.
As an infant she’d spent months at a local orphanage before being sent to the UK to her new adopted parents.
Claire returned to Hong Kong in Long Lost Family on ITV
Although she had loving adoptive parents, her adoptive mother died when she was just 12 – and she naturally always longed to connect with her birth family.
Nicky Campbell and Davina McCall offered to help on the show, and soon Claire found herself back in Hong Kong.
Read more: How to apply to be on ITV’s Long Lost Family
In highly emotive scenes, Claire visited the stairwell she was left in and also the orphanage.
I feel as though I have got a family now, which I never had before and it’s a big family.
Unfortunately she was unable to track down her birth mother or father.
Her only connection found in Hong Kong was a man who had lived in the building when Claire was abandoned.
Delighted, Claire says: “I can’t believe it. I’ve actually met somebody [who saw] me… in 1960. After all the emotion I’ve been through, at last I’ve had some good news!”
Finding relatives in the UK
However, an unexpected twist occurred when her DNA is successfully matched to multiple people living in the UK.
Read more: ITV Long Lost Family Nicky Campbell’s own adoption story
And Claire was even surprised with a pub full of relatives, which included her own friend Joanna Battershell.
They’d connected online eight years prior after realising they were among the 100 orphans sent to the UK.
Delighted, Claire said: “It’s just unbelievable! We’ve always said we are sisters in spirit.
“It’s extraordinary that I went all the way to Hong Kong looking for relatives and, in the end, found them in the UK… I feel as though I have got a family now, which I never had before and it’s a big family.”
Viewers took to Twitter in their droves to share their heartbreak as well as joy for Claire.
One viewer tweeted: “Claire on #LongLostFamily was just the loveliest person. More sobbing here.”
While another tweeted: “Gutted for Claire not finding her mum or any close relatives. I hope being a match with her friend gave her joy & comfort & she finds her family in the end #LongLostFamily.”
A third user shared: “How lovely that Claire‘s friend should also turn out to be a relative. #LongLostFamily #ITV.”
Another posted: “Awww Claire is so sweet, What an amazing turn out for her.”
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