Carol Vorderman shares top ten heartwarming moments from Pride Of Britain Awards
It’S the night where millions of viewers finally get to watch some of the most courageous, extraordinary and kind-hearted people in Britain being recognised for their incredible work.
The Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards, with TSB, airs at 8pm tonight on ITV, and while it’s impossible to choose the best bits, host Carol Vorderman has picked out her top 10 moments from the night as it unfolded…
Echo the dog
Child of Courage winner Freya Harris made hearts melt when she was joined on stage by her Australian Shepherd dog Echo, who had mistakenly been served a full three-course meal before the ceremony - complete with cutlery, wine glass and a name card - as staff hadn’t realised she was a dog. Echo even had her own fan club in the audience from kids’ movie favourites Paw Patrol.
Jack Rigby’s Ant and Dec surprise
Carol Vorderman takes rarely seen daughter Katie to meet Lewis Capaldi backstage
“Ant and Dec surprised Jack by taking him bowling - and he ended up beating them,” says Carol. “He said Dec was absolutely rubbish. And then his face on stage when it was announced TSB and Pride of Britain were both donating £5,000 each to the charity he’s been fundraising for, Scotty’s Little Soldiers, then finding out generous Mirror readers have given another £12,000. Then Duncan Bannatyne said he was putting in £20,000, making Jack’s grand total £107,124. He was standing there like, ‘eh?! Eh?!’ It was a lovely moment.”
Windrush Generation’s ovations
Vernesta Cyril OBE (Steve Bainbridge / Daily Mirror)“There were multiple standing ovations for the Windrush award-winners, and when Vernesta Cyril got out of her wheelchair I had to hold back the tears,” recalls Carol. “She’s very frail but she told Ash and I beforehand she wanted to stand up to hold the award, and she did! The look on her face as the audience sang Happy Birthday to her was very moving, too.”
The grand finale with Callum Scott
“I always love it at the end when all of our winners are on stage and the confetti cannon goes off - but it becomes a bit of an ice rink,” smiles Carol. “Ash and I have to tell people quietly, ‘be careful, be careful…’ and hold on to them. There was a lovely moment when Rob Burrow’s two girls were scraping confetti off the floor and throwing it over their dad and me.”
Dame Averil Mansfield’s huge cheer
Pioneering surgeon Averil won the Lifetime Achievement award. “When Dame Averil came up on stage, and her video was played, the women in the room were just cheering and cheering,” remembers Carol. “We’ve reached the stage now where younger generations of women fully appreciate that they’re standing on the shoulders of giants like her.”
Ravi Adelekan and his little sister
Child of Courage winner Ravi, eight, and his five-year-old sister Maya stole the show “Maya - who had her hair in these beautiful colourful braids that had taken three hours to do - had said at our winners’ dinner the night before that she wanted to do ‘the slide’ with Ashley,” says Carol. “He had to pick her up so she could slide down him! He’s used to it as his daughter is about her age.”
Tskenya-Sarah Frazer and Anthony Joshua
Melanie Sykes explains how she dealt with her later-life health diagnosis
Prince’s Trust Young Achiever winner Tskenya was overwhelmed when handsome boxer Anthony showed up to give her the award. “He’d picked up a bouquet backstage that was actually meant for Ashley, but gave a cheeky grin and before we knew it he’d jumped on stage and given it to Tskenya instead,” laughs Carol. “She fancies AJ and was NOT holding back!”
Rob Burrow’s touching tribute to wife Lindsey
Former Rugby League ace Rob was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease in 2019 (/ Daily Mirror)Former Rugby League ace Rob was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease in 2019, and his speech on stage didn’t leave a dry eye in the house when he talked about wife Lindsey, says Carol. “It brought a tear to everybody’s eye, about what an incredible wife and mother she is and about how she never signed up for this. And they are an extraordinary family, they really are.”
John Burkhill with his daughter’s pram
“He was hilarious, and also very moving,” says Carol of fundraising winner John, who has drummed up more than £1m for Macmillan Cancer Support. “It’s the pram that was his daughter’s when she was a baby, he just marches round with it all the time and carries on. He’s a very special person - and he loves his city, Sheffield.”
Choir With No Name singing with James Arthur
TSB Community Hero Marie Benton was awarded for founding homeless choirs. “Watching Marie’s face when James Arthur came out with her choir, it was just beautiful,” remembers Carol. “You could tell when people came on that she knew them all. It was quite something, that. I got emotional at that because you see it in people’s eyes when you’re that close up.”
*Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie is in cinemas from October 13.
www.pawpatrolthemovie.co.uk
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