Long Lost Family host Nicky Campbell shares a connection with those who appear on the popular ITV show, as he didn’t meet his own birth mother until he was an adult.
Many of those he and co-host Davina McCall reunite on the show go on to form new and happy relationships as they make up for all the years spent apart.
But does the presenter see his own biological family?
Does Nicky Campbell still speak to any members of his biological family?
Yes, Nicky has spoken about being close to his half-sister, Esther.
The two have written a book together about how they were both put up for adoption.
He previously said they were “very close”.
Writing in the Daily Mail in 2011, he said: “After meeting my mother I was traced by her other long-lost baby, Esther, my half-sister. She is 18 months my senior and we are still very close.”
Long Lost Family host’s biological parents
Nicky did eventually track down his biological mother and father.
He was adopted when he was just a few days old, after his birth mum Stella Lackey travelled from Ireland to give birth in Scotland, due to the shame at the time of being pregnant while unmarried.
Nicky was was adopted by Frank and Sheila Campbell.
Read more: Long Lost Family host Nicky Campbell heartbroken as mum Sheila dies aged 96
He never had any direct contact with Stella as a boy, although she sent him Christmas cards for the first few years of his life.
But it wasn’t until he was in his 20s that he made the decision to track down his biological parents.
And he said meeting his mum, when it happened, lacked emotion and he felt he didn’t have a “spiritual” connection with her.
I saw a face that looked like mine. But I felt no emotional connection with her, no spiritual connection even.
He told the Mirror: “It was a surreal moment for me. I met my birth mother in Dublin in 1990 and, for the first time, I saw a face that looked like mine. But I felt no emotional connection with her, no spiritual connection even.
‘Honoured’ to carry birth mother’s coffin
“There was nothing. If anything, I felt quite sorry for her. She’d had two children within 18 months, by two different men; she led a complicated, rather tragic life. But I’m so thankful to have met her and felt honoured to help carry her coffin when she died in 2008.”
Of meeting other siblings, Nicky said that, unlike seeing his mum for the first time, the reunion was “emotional”.
As reported by The Guardian, he said: “It has been a very emotional journey – meeting all my brothers and sisters.”
Nicky’s tribute to mum Sheila
Nicky remained close to his adoptive parents until their deaths.
Frank died in 1996 and Sheila only passed away in 2019.
Paying tribute to her on Twitter at the time, he told followers that Sheila was his “real mum”.
Read more: Long Lost Family: Mother and daughter separated again after emotional reunion
He wrote: “My mum Sheila died yesterday at 96. We made a BBC programme together about her service as a radar operator and she was immensely proud of her role on D-Day.
“Her life’s work was as a social worker helping others. The day she and Dad adopted me was the day I won the lottery. She doted on her grandchildren and my girls completely adored her. Everyone did.
“I am so lucky and proud to have had her as my mum and we will miss her more than we can ever express. She was my adoptive mum. She was my real mum.”
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