To mark VE Day on Friday, Good Morning Britain spoke to many heroes from the World War II, and one, in particular, had recently moved host Ben Shephard to tears. The breakfast TV star admitted he had been in "in floods of tears" after watching war veteran Ken Benbow, 94, appear on GMB alongside his 17-year-old carer Kia Tobin last month. The pair caught the attention of the TV show after an emotional video clip of Kia presenting Ken with a pillow with a photo of his late wife Aida went viral, and returned to the programme on Friday to talk about Ken's time fighting in the war. At the end of the interview, Ben told them: "We would have you on every day if we could."
© Photo: RexBen Shephard was moved to tears by WWII veteran Ken Benbow
Ben – who was co-hosting GMB on Friday alongside Charlotte Hawkins – has been filling in for Piers Morgan over the past few days as the TV presenter has been off ill. The dad-of-four revealed on Sunday that he would be absent from work on Monday while he awaited the results from a coronavirus test, having been advised from his doctor to get tested after developing possible symptoms. While Piers later confirmed that he had tested negative for the virus, he has remained off air. "I'll be back on @GMB as soon as my doctor advises I'm OK to return to work," he tweeted on Tuesday.
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© Photo: Getty ImagesBen has stepped in for co-host Piers Morgan on GMB this week
Coronavirus has been something that has affected the presenters at Good Morning Britain personally, as Kate Garraway's husband Derek Draper has been fighting the illness in hospital over the past few weeks. On Monday, Kate turned 53 and while her birthday was a difficult day, the star's GMB co-stars helped to make her day special for her and her children, Darcey, 14, and ten-year-old William. The I'm a Celebrity star took to social media the day after her birthday to thank her work friends for their support. She wrote: "So yesterday was always going to be a tough one - 1st birthday in 16 years without Derek - so for the kids & I, his absence was very present. But we resolved to do what I think we are all having to do at the moment aren’t we - treasure & be grateful for the love around us - however distanced we are from it. And focus on the joy of life & love in the moment - the small things that are huge & really should be at the core of everyday, but usually the everyday gets in the way."
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She continued: "So THANK YOU so much for all your messages they mean such a lot, to the friends @itv who sent chocolate for the kids & uplifting smellies for me , to mates who dropped off food, posh teabags & milk & made me smile at silliness ( derek is a great believer in the healing power of silliness), to my amazing family, to Derek's friends who sent me messages of fun times they have had with him ( pictured is when Derek was editing a student newspaper - insert your own “his taste in birds” joke here!) And the strangers who got this cake >>> from @romankemp & all at @global & worked out it was actually meant for me ( was it the bourbons that gave it away??!!) - THANK YOU all. But most of all thank you to the NHS teams keeping derek still with us e& battling everyday to inch him toward recovery.#hope #positivethinking #standtogether."
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