Woman abandoned as a baby discovers three brothers, including one who lives a mile away and another she had already met

Marie spent much of her life wondering about the father she never knew. What she could not have imagined was that her search would lead to three half-brothers, all living in Norfolk, with one just a mile from her home and another unknowingly crossing her path during her daily commute.

The emotional discovery features in the first episode of the sixteenth series of ITV’s Long Lost Family, which returns on Thursday, September 3, at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX. Davina McCall and Nicky Campbell are back to help families separated by circumstances beyond their control reconnect with one another.

Marie, who has lived in Norfolk all her life, works as a train conductor for Greater Anglia. Her childhood, however, was very different from that of most children.

Marie was raised by her grandparents

Marie was taken in by her grandparents after her mother, who was just 17 at the time, was unable to care for her.

She describes having a good childhood in a lively family home. Her grandparents already had six children living with them when Marie joined the household.

Her mother remained only intermittently involved in her upbringing. As Marie grew older, however, questions about her biological parents became increasingly difficult to ignore.

Sitting down with her aunt Rosie, who is only six years older than her, Marie reflects on the differences between their childhoods.

“You always called Nan Mum and Grandad Pop. I never really had that,” she tells Rosie.

Rosie admits that, because Marie had grown up alongside the rest of the family, they had not fully understood what she was missing.

Although Marie’s mother visited from time to time, it was not until Marie turned 16 that she finally confronted her about her biological father.

“I just blurted it all out. Where’s my Dad, I wanted to know about my father,” she recalls.

Her mother could provide only a few details. Marie learned that her father’s name was James and that he had visited her in hospital when she was born.

She was particularly moved to discover that James had chosen her name.

“That really touched me. Must have cared for me to do that,” she says.

Yet not knowing what became of him continued to weigh on Marie.

She often wondered where James was and whether he might have had other children. Even while working on the railway, she found herself looking at passengers and wondering if any of them could be related to her.

“Even on the train, even at work, I’m constantly looking at people all the time wondering are they related to me,” she says.

Marie hoped that, somehow, she might still have the chance to meet her father.

“Am I too late? You just hope that one day it can happen and it will happen.”

The search for her father uncovers an unexpected family

The Long Lost Family team was unable to trace James in the UK.

But while investigating his birth certificate, the researchers made a discovery that changed the direction of Marie’s search.

Before meeting Marie’s mother, James had been married and had three sons: Anthony, Paul and Ian.

They were Marie’s half-brothers.

Even more remarkably, the three men were all living in Norfolk, the same county where Marie had spent her entire life.

Anthony wanted to meet Marie but did not wish to appear on camera, so Nicky Campbell met with Paul and Ian.

The brothers had never known they had a sister. They also had little connection with their father and had been unable to discover what happened to him despite trying to find him themselves.

Paul explained that he was only two when James left.

“I was only two when he left, so I haven’t really got any memories at all,” he says.

Despite knowing very little about their father, both Paul and Ian were keen to meet the sister they had never known existed.

For Paul, the idea was particularly meaningful.

“I’ve always wanted to have a sister,” he says.

Marie had already met one of her brothers

The biggest surprise came when Nicky told Paul about Marie’s job.

As a Greater Anglia train conductor, she spends her working days travelling the railway. Paul, meanwhile, takes a Greater Anglia train to work every morning.

The possibility immediately struck him.

“So she could well be on the train checking my ticket. Amazing!” Paul says.

Nicky then showed Paul a photograph of Marie.

Paul recognised her.

He revealed that he had actually spoken to her only weeks earlier.

“A couple of weeks ago, I actually had a slightly longer conversation with her,” he says.

Marie had unknowingly met her own brother during her working day, without either of them realising their connection.

5

One brother was living just a mile away

Davina McCall eventually met Marie to deliver the news.

Marie had been prepared for disappointment. The search for her biological father had not succeeded.

Instead, Davina told her that the team had discovered she had three brothers and that all of them wanted to meet her.

The revelation left Marie overwhelmed.

“They all live in Norfolk,” Davina tells her.

Marie immediately asks where they live.

When Davina explains that Ian lives just a mile away, Marie can barely believe what she is hearing.

“In Wymondham?! No… Oh my God… I could have walked past… You’re joking,” she responds.

Then came the second astonishing revelation.

Davina tells Marie that Paul lives in Sheringham and travels by train to work every day.

After seeing Marie’s photograph, Paul had immediately recognised her.

“He saw your picture, and he went: ‘I know her.’ You’ve met your brother,” Davina tells her.

Marie laughs through her tears as the extraordinary coincidence sinks in.

“Oh wow! I didn’t even realise,” she says.

The family finally reunites

Marie had spent years searching for answers about her father, only to discover that the search had unexpectedly revealed a family she never knew existed.

The three brothers were eventually brought together with Marie at a country hotel in the local area.

For Paul, the reunion fulfilled something he had wanted for much of his life.

“I’ve always wanted a sister,” he says.

For Marie, discovering her brothers provided a sense of relief after years of wondering about the family she had never known.

“A weight has been lifted off my shoulders, and I’ve always got a big brother to turn to now,” she says.

The story is one of two featured in the opening episode of Long Lost Family series 16. The programme returns to ITV1 and ITVX at 9pm on Thursday, September 3.