- 7/3/2025
#CinemaJourney
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00:00I don't know where I was born, but I was found in a car park, literally fresh out of the womb.
00:09Why was I left in another child's pram? Who left me?
00:14This place was the start of my love.
00:17Foundlings. People left as babies.
00:22In the most extraordinary places.
00:26Often in the first hours or days of life.
00:30Born without trace, the most fundamental aspects of their identities are missing.
00:36I don't know the date I was born, where I was born, who me parents were.
00:43Leaving lives overshadowed by questions.
00:47Do you think that I was actually born in them toilets?
00:49Yeah, yes.
00:53For over six years, we've been investigating these astonishing cases.
00:59Using DNA mapping and painstaking detective work, we unlock the past.
01:05It was the first time I ever seen my child as a baby.
01:08And bring the most important news.
01:12It's your first ever blood relative, right?
01:14Yeah, that's it.
01:14We feel so familiar.
01:18That changes lives forever.
01:20It's your first time I ever seen my child as a child as a child as a child as a child as a child.
01:29It's your first time as a child as a child as a child as a child as a child as a child as a child.
01:38Now, this little sprog here was abandoned in a multi-storey car park.
01:43She was barely an hour old, weighing just seven pounds.
01:47She was discovered wrapped in a pink towel and a white shawl inside a holdall.
01:52Sarah Mayer is our youngest ever searcher.
01:55She was born in 2001, and there was a nationwide search for her mother.
02:02This is Sergeant Wendy Whiting, who is hoping that the police can actually trace her mum.
02:06Where was the car park, actually, Wendy?
02:08It was the multi-storey car park on Pembroke Broadway at Camberley in Surrey.
02:12Camberley in Surrey?
02:13Yep.
02:16In the news, I was the baby in pink because I was in the pink towel wrapped in the blanket.
02:22Like many of us, Sarah has a box of newborn mementos.
02:27This is the towel that I was found in.
02:30Didn't give much away about who my parents are.
02:33Unlike other people, hers still shows signs of having once been police evidence.
02:39So, here's the bag that I was found in.
02:43And then you've got the evidence number of the case of the police who did the investigating of it.
02:51You say that when she was found, her umbilical cord had been cut.
02:55That's right.
02:55But it hadn't been clamped.
02:56Yeah.
02:57So, does that indicate that her mum was alone when she gave birth?
03:00Quite possibly a home birth, yeah.
03:04The police sent Sarah straight to hospital,
03:07when nursing staff took her under their wing.
03:10I've got my first baby bro that I think the nurses and all got for me.
03:16A nice tiny one.
03:17I was named Caroline after the nurses who looked after me in Pembroke after my car park.
03:26It's like a little secret identity of mine.
03:28It's a part of my history, which is very important to me.
03:36Even with my name now, my middle name is Caroline.
03:38The thing to stress to whoever her mum is is that she's not in any trouble.
03:44Now, my main concern is in finding her and making sure that, you know, her medical and emotional state and welfare is taken care of, is looked after.
03:55Despite many appeals, Sarah's birth mother didn't come forward.
03:59And Sarah was adopted at three months by Joe and Pierre, who already had an adopted daughter, Jess.
04:12We just thought, gosh, how lucky to have one little baby and then to be blessed with a second.
04:19It was just like winning the lottery twice over.
04:24Me and my sister were adopted and we knew our individual stories and where we came from.
04:30My parents always showed it in a positive light.
04:32It was never, you've been left for a bad reason.
04:35It's been, you've been left, but we love you and we care for you and that won't change.
04:41I want my birth parents to know that they shouldn't feel any remorse of what they did because I've had a wonderful life.
04:49But I'd like an explanation because it is something that is missing to know where I come from.
04:57Why? Why was I abandoned?
05:11Today, for the first time, Sarah's returning to the car park where she was found.
05:16What time was she found?
05:19The woman that reported seeing the bag actually went shopping at half past four and the bag wasn't there then.
05:24Right.
05:25When she came back to the lift area, which was level two at that car park, the bag was then there.
05:33I think it was six something in the evening.
05:35So it was an evening baby.
05:39I was 30 minutes to an hour old.
05:42So I was literally fresh out of the womb.
05:44This is the place where I was left.
06:04They chose a place where people would have been coming backwards and forwards to the Sharpen Centre.
06:07But I'm left in public.
06:12They didn't know I was necessarily going to be safe.
06:15Somebody could have just taken me.
06:16I have thought about why they did do it.
06:24It could be a young mum.
06:26Their health could have been at risk.
06:28Life is complex.
06:30Did she drive or did she walk here?
06:33Perhaps it wasn't my birth mother, because obviously, given birth, would she have been able to make it up the stairs or into a lift or
06:39being able to be as composed to leave a bag and not raise attention, that there was something suspicious.
06:53Sarah has one more piece of evidence, a letter, that was sent to the police 10 days after she was found.
07:01Please look after my little girl.
07:03I love her so much, but just can't cope with another baby.
07:07Thank you to all the police officers involved, hospital staff and the members of the public for their help.
07:14It wasn't sent with a stamp.
07:16It's not handwritten, and it's easier to trace somebody handwritten than a typed letter.
07:21I don't know who wrote this letter, but I'd like to hope it is from my birth parent,
07:28because they thank the people that did step up, and they also give the reason as to why they did it.
07:36But it also means there's potential siblings.
07:38I've had the best time having Jess as my sister, and, like, I wouldn't change that for the world.
07:48But, like, if I was to add another sibling, it would just be amazing.
07:53I love being a mum.
07:54I could never, ever imagine giving away my child, but it's tough being a mum, can't deny that.
08:01I hope Sarah gets the chance to meet her birth mother.
08:05I just want her to be happy.
08:12As Sarah's father, I'm glad she's looking now, because I can support her as much as I can.
08:18I'll be there for whenever she needs me. You don't look at children like they're your own.
08:27They're little people with their own life.
08:30Your mission is just to help them grow and be the best person they can be.
08:42I am hopeful that I'll find something that's been 23 years of not knowing.
08:48If they would want to build a relationship with me, I would want to build a relationship with them.
08:52And it could be on their terms.
09:02Our next foundling had over 60 years of not knowing when he asked us to take on his case.
09:10On the evening of 20 July 1962, a North London childminder called the police.
09:15Three-month-old Christopher had been left that morning for the first day in her care.
09:22But no-one came back to collect him.
09:24And despite public appeals, no-one ever did.
09:27This is where I was bought on the day I was abandoned.
09:42The three months before that, no clue.
09:45I was left at the childminders by a man who called himself John Jones.
09:54He said his wife would come and get me later on tea time.
09:59She never did.
10:03Was the man who dropped me off my father?
10:05Was it an uncle?
10:07Or my mother's father?
10:09My mother, was I taken against her wishes?
10:14Or did she decide it was best?
10:17Why at that age and not, you know, a day old, why wait three months, you know?
10:22You've got one of the biggest stations in the country on the doorstep.
10:30So it could have actually come from anywhere.
10:35It could have been someone that come from this area.
10:40Or someone who travelled from the north, maybe, down to King's Cross.
10:43Who knows?
10:49Chris was adopted as a baby by Jean and Arthur Thorne.
10:55He grew up in the Camden area of north London with their other children.
11:04Couldn't have gone into a better family.
11:07Just chaos all the time, but happy, funny chaos.
11:10And this is where we used to play as kids, run wild around here.
11:17That's what it was all about, wasn't it?
11:18Them days, playing out.
11:25Yeah, loads of memories.
11:29When he was ten, Chris was told he was adopted, but without any detail.
11:34He was never spoken about after that day when I got told, you know,
11:38unless I asked, but I didn't.
11:43It was when Chris became a father himself
11:46that he felt the need to know more about his birth family.
11:49When he requested the information in his adoption file,
11:53he discovered for the first time exactly how he'd been left.
11:57The child was placed with a childminder who advertised their services in the newspaper.
12:04As the child was not collected, the police were informed.
12:08It is likely that the birth was not registered and there is no birth certificate on file.
12:14Before I got this, I was expecting them to come back with a big list of information and
12:18I thought I'd get something, you know?
12:22Mrs Sanso Sanso, who lived at wherever, a grounding to start from.
12:30It's quite clear that there was no information as to birth parentage
12:35that would, in future, enable the child to trace his birth parents.
12:38It doesn't give you a starting point, does it?
12:56For the next 18 years, Chris accepted he wouldn't be able to find out anything else.
13:00And then, in 2021, he took a DNA test.
13:09The results come back as 100% Irish.
13:15It was a shock, mate, finding out Irish.
13:18At last, Chris had some information about both his birth parents.
13:23And with it, more questions.
13:26My birth mother, was she a young Irish Catholic girl?
13:30She could have come over to London on her own.
13:35Or could have grew up here in an Irish family.
13:39It used to bring a lot of shame onto the families.
13:44There's a possibility that me birth father didn't even know.
13:48Or were they married?
13:51Me mum and me dad, like birth parents, were they trying their best?
13:55Trying to get better jobs, trying to find somewhere to live?
13:58Film from the time captures some of the growing London Irish community in the 1960s.
14:06And that would be them having their nights out,
14:08dancing in the local halls or the Irish club.
14:12Chris now lives in Northumberland with his wife Paula and his two youngest sons.
14:18Does it feel any different to the Irish?
14:20I don't know. I've always been a proud Englishman.
14:23That's what I've seen you as. I don't know what to ask.
14:28I'm sure they wasn't very well received at the Irish at first.
14:31My birth parents could have been one of these original people that come over
14:38in the 60s and set up home in London.
14:47I would never judge, but they could have got married, had more children, lived happily ever after,
14:51you know. It'd be great to find out what did actually happen.
15:03While our search team begins mapping Chris's DNA,
15:07our specialist intermediaries have managed to access files that include the police reports
15:12from the first days after Chris was left. And there is a description of John Jones,
15:18the man who dropped him off. The man spoke with an Irish accent, which makes sense now we know
15:26that Chris's DNA is 100% Irish, and was about 27 years old. So that would rule out the idea that
15:37John Jones was the birth mother's father. He was five foot seven, slim, dark-haired,
15:46and appeared to be a manual worker, although he was reasonably tidy and wore a navy blue suit.
15:55Is this Chris's birth father? I mean, these details, all these little details would mean so much
16:01to Chris. What we really need now are answers.
16:22Sarah Mayer is only 23, so there's every chance her birth parents are still alive.
16:28While that search continues, we've traced Wendy, the police sergeant who was first at the scene
16:36and stayed across Sarah's case.
16:40Is there anything she can tell Sarah that might shed new light now?
16:44Hi. Hello. How are you? I'm good. How are you? Good.
16:57Oh, look at you. All grown up. I know.
17:03I remember the radio message coming out and I think, did I just hear that right?
17:07Yeah. An abandoned baby. Yeah.
17:10It wasn't freezing cold, but brand new baby. Yeah. No clothes on.
17:14You're going to be concerned. Yeah, of course we were concerned.
17:16So we wanted to make sure that you got to hospital as quick as you could.
17:20Yeah. Everybody wanted to make sure that you had the best possible start in life.
17:25Yeah. You guys were always my first sort of family if you made sure I was well
17:29and you made sure I was happy. I did just want to say thank you for everything that you've done.
17:33I remember the lady that found you, she reported she thought you were a bomb.
17:38I didn't know if you knew that. No, I didn't know. She thought I was a bomb.
17:43I heard that it was just the bag, like a suspicious bag.
17:45But we were very satisfied at early doors that she was not involved in placing you there
17:52or certainly wasn't your mother. Yeah, you would know that.
17:55Yeah. She spoke about other people that she saw in and around there and she talked about
18:00what appeared to be like a mum and daughter also coming out of the lift area at the time.
18:06But we were satisfied that these were just innocent shoppers going about their daily business.
18:11Was there CCTV at the time? Yeah, but back then we had two main bits of CCTV.
18:18But again, that didn't really take us any further forward.
18:21I've got the letter that got sent in. Ah, yes.
18:25We did test everything for forensics as well. Yeah.
18:31That's why it's got this lovely plastic cover on it. Do you think it's genuine?
18:34There was nothing to suggest it. It was a hoax or false in any way.
18:39She didn't have to write this and send it in and she's explaining why she did what she did.
18:46Yeah.
18:46You know, you were in my diary every year. Yeah.
18:49This is baby Caroline's birthday. Yeah.
18:51How old is she this year? I hope she's well and, you know, succeeding in life.
18:56I've lived an absolutely fabulous life. Like, I've got a marvellous family.
19:00I was put with the right people. Yeah.
19:02And whoever it was, it's OK that they left me.
19:05And I think it's important that they hear that. Yeah.
19:07So that's Shannon, my partner. Me, mum and mum's brother.
19:14It's been lovely to see her again.
19:16We were really disappointed that we didn't find Sarah's mum at the time.
19:20But now's the chance for Sarah's mum to see just how fine she is,
19:24how confident and how lovely she is.
19:26Wendy was the start of my life, basically.
19:29No matter if I was abandoned, I was loved and I was cared for.
19:33Let's keep our fingers crossed. Indeed, yeah.
19:37So, top of the tree.
19:48Oh, yes. Granddad.
19:50Most foundlings whose cases we take on are, like Sarah, left as newborns.
19:55But Chris was three months old. Granddad.
20:01We don't know who his mummy and daddy is.
20:05Huh? So we need to find out.
20:07I'd like to know why, the whys and what-fors.
20:11Why did it come about? What was their circumstances? You know.
20:15It'd be nice to know all the missing bits.
20:18Yeah. Yeah? And that'd work then, wouldn't it?
20:30After months of investigation, the search team has made a breakthrough.
20:34Hi, Ariel. Nicky. Hello.
20:35Hello. You've got news in Chris's search.
20:38We have.
20:39Chris had already done a test before we took on his search and he knew that he was Irish.
20:46We've had to do a lot of testing in Irish families, both in the UK and in Ireland, to try to resolve it and we do have some news.
20:56We have found both of his parents.
21:00Well, are they still alive?
21:02Very sadly, his birth mother has died, but his birth father is alive, but not well.
21:10Did he know about Chris?
21:12We don't quite know. It's been very difficult to ask him questions, but I'm hopeful that with time, we might discover more.
21:21They were very young at the time that Chris was born and they were not married to each other.
21:28To have had a child before you were married in Ireland in the 1960s was enough to have you rejected by your family and community.
21:37And that would be a lonely place?
21:38Yes. To look after a baby for up to three months and then leave, it must have been just so difficult.
21:49So were they in a relationship?
21:50Yes. And they in fact subsequently married sometime after Chris's birth and they have had other children.
22:00So Chris has got full siblings?
22:03He has.
22:04And are they aware of this situation?
22:08They are now. Yeah.
22:10And of course that's been a great shock for them.
22:13Finding out that their mother and father had another child that they did not know about, that is such a challenge.
22:20I think it is.
22:22So amongst his siblings, some are ready to meet him now and some are not quite.
22:27Do you think he will meet his father?
22:30His siblings will want to protect their father.
22:35However, I think the really important thing through all of this complicated time is they absolutely acknowledge Chris as their brother.
22:43Chris has been given the news off camera that his birth mother has died.
22:58Sadly, he'll never have the chance to meet her.
23:00And it may be that there is information about what happened that only she could have told him.
23:07But while there's still a lot we don't know and we might never know,
23:12I can now give him the answers to some of his most fundamental questions.
23:18Who his parents were and who his family is.
23:21Hi, Davina. Hi, Chris.
23:32Come in. Thank you.
23:38Chris, thanks for talking to me.
23:40I'm really sorry that we couldn't bring you better news about your birth mother.
23:44How are you feeling?
23:45My only regret is that she's passed away recently, you know, and obviously it would have been nicer to
23:51do this a couple of years ago, so that's a bit of a tricky thing, you know.
23:57Would you know how old my birth mother would have been when she passed?
24:01She was in her early 80s.
24:04Well, so she would have been early 20s when she had me.
24:08I always imagined she was younger or even under age, you know.
24:13I thought that might have been where the problem was.
24:15And was she living in London, do you know?
24:16She came from Ireland the year before you were born.
24:21And she quite possibly was pregnant with you when she came.
24:25Yeah, yeah, yeah. So do we have any information on circumstances?
24:30Was she married?
24:31She wasn't married.
24:32She was from a very traditional Irish Catholic family, you know,
24:37in a really close-knit community.
24:39And she would have known that there was no way that she could have kept you.
24:43Yeah, makes sense.
24:45Is there any news on your birth father?
24:49Yes.
24:50He's still alive?
24:52Yes.
24:52Really?
24:53Wow.
24:53Yes.
24:54And living in Ireland?
24:56Yes.
24:56Wow.
25:01Is he a lot older or same sort of age?
25:03He was also very young when you were born.
25:05Did he know about me?
25:07We don't think so.
25:08He says not.
25:10Right.
25:11The information we received of the person who left me at the childminder was approximately 27.
25:19Mm.
25:19I'm thinking it was somebody else.
25:22Someone else, yeah.
25:23Somebody different.
25:23Mm.
25:24Well, I believe the John Jones, as they called him, who did drop me off, he was Irish.
25:30Yes.
25:31He had a strong Irish accent.
25:32Mm.
25:33So it could have been, well, we could speculate.
25:36An extended family, a friend, a friend of a friend.
25:38Yeah, it could have been anyone, really.
25:39Yeah, a friend of a friend, somebody who thought they were helping, you know.
25:42Mm.
25:43Did they stay together or were they sort of separated or...?
25:49They did.
25:50Stayed together?
25:51Stayed together.
25:52Wow.
25:54Right up until when she passed?
25:56Yeah.
25:56Wow.
25:57All them years.
25:58Mm.
26:01And must have had other children, obviously.
26:03Yes.
26:04Four siblings?
26:06Yeah.
26:06Wow.
26:13That's great.
26:15Boys, girls, mix.
26:17Mix.
26:17Yeah.
26:20Oh, I'm really excited to hear about that.
26:22I think that's great.
26:25Did any of them know?
26:27None of them knew.
26:28They didn't know?
26:28No.
26:30It's been a shock for them, then.
26:32It has.
26:32Something that they didn't know about their birth mother and she's gone now.
26:36They can't.
26:37They can't even ask the questions.
26:39They can't talk to her about it.
26:40Yeah, yeah, yeah.
26:41And your siblings just want to take it super slow.
26:43Yeah, yeah, 100%.
26:44With your dad.
26:45Yeah, yeah, yeah.
26:46It's a lot to take in, innit?
26:47Perhaps he can remember and he's blocked it out or it's a bit traumatic for him to
26:54bring it out into the public arena, you know?
26:58Have you got any photos?
26:59Yes.
27:00This is a photo of your birth mother and father.
27:06Oh, wow.
27:12There is a resemblance, definitely.
27:14I can see it in my father's face.
27:18Strange feeling seeing the putting faces, do you know?
27:22And this is your whole birth family.
27:30Oh, wow.
27:36Oh, that's great, yeah.
27:37Why am I the only one with white hair?
27:48Your siblings, when they saw the photograph of you, they really did recognise that you were
27:55their brother.
27:56Wow.
27:57They also said how sad it was that your birth mother didn't get the opportunity to see you again.
28:03Yeah.
28:04That is a shame, Davina, yeah.
28:06Mm.
28:08They obviously had something, didn't they?
28:09Mm.
28:10Something going, you know, and they, you know, I'm sure they made the right decision at the time.
28:14I would go as far to say, it's worked out the best for everyone.
28:18Mm.
28:19Do you know what I mean?
28:19Mm.
28:22Cos, you know, they stayed together, they've had children.
28:26I've lived in a fantastic family, so, yeah, everyone's a winner.
28:30Do you know what I mean?
28:33Have you been to Ireland?
28:34Never.
28:35No.
28:38I'll be going, I think.
28:39I'll be going, I'll be going, I'll be going, I'll be going.
28:5862 years after he was left at a London childminders, we have identified Chris Thorne's birth family.
29:04And he has travelled to Ireland to meet his full siblings for the very first time.
29:16I'm here now.
29:18Had things turned out different, this could be my home.
29:22Chris's birth mother has died.
29:24His birth father is not, as yet, taking on board the news.
29:28We've got a lot to discuss and talk about.
29:31I don't want to upset anyone.
29:37Although they're my blood relatives, we're strangers.
29:44Hello.
29:45Hiya.
29:46How are you feeling?
29:46Yeah, good.
29:47Ready to go in.
29:49Well, you'll be great.
29:49Just beat yourself.
29:50Yeah.
29:51OK, love you.
29:52Bye.
30:01Hello.
30:03Hello.
30:06How are we doing?
30:10Chris's siblings have asked for the meeting not to be filmed.
30:14Isn't this strange?
30:15Isn't it strange?
30:16It's strange.
30:16Perfect to see you.
30:17And you.
30:18This is a complex and sensitive situation.
30:21So they want to meet their newfound brother, while still protecting their mother's memory
30:26and their father's privacy.
30:34It is a big, big thing.
30:37We were a little bit apprehensive, but it was really, really good.
30:42Well, I don't think I've got my head around it yet, but it's something that's real now.
30:48I think we'll be fine.
30:51After meeting him in person, I do see resemblances.
30:55He's very like my dad and my brother.
30:58He is one of us.
31:00We haven't been together in so many years, but this is a whole new chapter.
31:08Really pleased.
31:10They seem lovely, really are.
31:12Full of fun, laughter.
31:14I think we'll get there.
31:17Brilliant.
31:22Our team has also been working to identify Sarah Mayer's birth family.
31:28Hi, Ariel.
31:29Hi, Nicky.
31:31Right, I'd like to ask you about Sarah's search.
31:34She was born in 2001, so she's only 23.
31:37Sarah is very young, but she's really supported by her parents.
31:43That helps.
31:44We have quite a lot of news for her.
31:46We know who Sarah's mother is.
31:48Wow.
31:49Her birth mother was very young when Sarah was born.
31:55She was in her late teens.
31:56I've no doubt that she experienced a great deal of distress at the time, and I'm sure that being found is equally difficult.
32:09At the moment, she's not responding to our approaches, but you know, that's not unusual.
32:15There was mention in the note that was sent to the police that there is another child, is there?
32:21That is true.
32:23Her birth mother already had a child.
32:25So that child is an adult and is older than Sarah.
32:29Do they know about Sarah?
32:30I don't think so.
32:32And at some stage, I think they will need to know.
32:38You can't make an informed decision as to whether you would like to have contact with a sibling or a half-sibling if you don't know that that person exists.
32:47We need to be very sensitive.
32:49We're not going to know the circumstances of what happened unless we speak to her birth mother, and that's not looking likely at the moment.
32:56Or we find her birth father, and he can tell us anything.
33:00Is that going to happen?
33:02We found him.
33:02We found him.
33:03That's incredible.
33:05He says he had no idea that Sarah was born.
33:10Not a clue?
33:11Not a clue.
33:12It's been an enormous amount for him to take in, but he's really keen to know more about Sarah.
33:27We know who Sarah's birth mother is, but we don't want to do anything that might identify her.
33:34So to avoid any danger of that, Sarah's birth father has agreed we can also obscure his identity.
33:42It is hard to process, very hard, that I didn't know about her that I wasn't there.
33:57Because I should have been.
33:59When I found out that she was abandoned in that car park, it's very upsetting to know that my daughter is just left there.
34:07In that situation, anything could have happened to her.
34:14Did you have any idea that you had a daughter?
34:18No.
34:19None whatsoever?
34:21No.
34:24So she was conceived in 2000, she was born in 2001. What was happening then?
34:28I was a bit of a lad back then, Sarah's mother. It was like a couple of weeks, sort of, meet up.
34:39And then we went our separate ways.
34:41So you would not have seen her pregnant?
34:43No. Because I disappeared and carried on doing what I was doing.
34:48Most of my weekends were spent away raving in fields.
34:53Yeah.
34:54Can you get your head around the fact, thinking back, why Sarah's birth mother would not want it to have told you?
35:00Probably. In them days, I didn't seem very committed to a relationship,
35:04so I didn't come across as someone who would stand by her, maybe. I wasn't very responsible.
35:11Maybe she was scared for repercussions of the family as well. That's why it was better not to actually tell anyone.
35:18My mum actually worked at the hospital on the unit where Sarah would have been taken,
35:23and would have actually seen her on grand tour.
35:26Without you know it, I mean, it's really hard.
35:37Unbelievable. Is she still around your mum?
35:40No, she passed away four years ago.
35:42Tell me about your life now.
35:44It's not always been easy. I've had some rough times, but me and my wife just made my life.
35:51Then we had a beautiful daughter together.
35:53A sibling for Sarah?
35:56Yes, she's a lovely little girl.
35:58To find out I have another daughter, it just makes it even better.
36:01Sarah had a fantastic adoption.
36:04And she's got her sister Jess, who's also adopted.
36:07My mother and father have separated now, but they are still an absolute family unit,
36:12and so supportive of Sarah right now, and they always have been.
36:17She lives in Northern Ireland with her girlfriend Shannon, and she's got a degree in cyber security.
36:23That is amazing that she's done so well.
36:27But she just wants to know about her beginnings, about where she came from,
36:34who her birth mother was, who her birth father is, and he's sitting right in front of me.
36:40And that can't wait to see her.
36:42I'd love to see what she looks like.
36:53Yeah, she's beautiful.
36:54Likely she doesn't have my years.
37:01I've got big kids.
37:05I think the mouth is more from me.
37:10It's beautiful.
37:10I'm glad that she had a good upbringing, but I'm so hurt, but I wasn't there for her.
37:21I'm not saying I could have given her their life and what she did have, but just to be there.
37:27We're appealing to anyone that knows mum or mum herself, as I say, to come forward in complete confidence.
37:4323 years ago, the mystery of where baby Caroline, now Sarah Meyer, came from sparked a huge police investigation.
37:52It's never been solved, until now.
38:02Our search team has cracked the case.
38:06This is a complex situation.
38:09We now know who Sarah's birth mother is, but she's not yet responding to our intermediaries.
38:15And we've given Sarah that information off camera.
38:18I'm going to go and see how she's doing, and give her the news that we've found her biological father.
38:35Hi, Davina. Hi, Sarah. How are you doing?
38:36Good. Do you want to come on in? Yes, please.
38:41Thanks for talking to me today, Sarah.
38:44Sarah, I know last night you got some big news about your birth mother.
38:51It's good news to hear, because it's good to hear that she's at least alive and is out there.
38:57It leaves the door open for her to come and meet me if she wants to, and I'll never close that door.
39:04I respect that it's such a big thing for her.
39:06It was my decision to do this, because I was ready.
39:08And I understand that she may not be ready at this time.
39:11I want her to see that I've lived a good life, and I want her to see that I'm not angry with her.
39:16It's such a big thing.
39:18So, it's, like, it's at her pace.
39:22While we were doing the search for your birth mother, we got another piece of information.
39:28We know who your birth father is.
39:32Oh, well, yeah.
39:35Did he know about me?
39:37He didn't know about you.
39:39Did he find out about me from you guys?
39:42Yes.
39:43Yeah.
39:44Does he want to meet me?
39:46He would really like to meet you.
39:47Oh, well.
39:50That's...
39:52That's quite a lot.
39:53Quite a lot.
39:54It means a lot.
39:56It means a lot.
39:57That's it.
39:58Yeah.
40:02He is really understanding of your situation.
40:06Yeah.
40:06But he and his partner are there if you want to get to know them.
40:13Yeah.
40:13Fabulous.
40:14And they have a daughter.
40:16Oh, well.
40:18Yeah.
40:19That's very cool.
40:20What is going through your mind right now?
40:23I do want to see what it looks like.
40:24I've never known what I'm going to look like when I'm older.
40:27What are your genes like?
40:28Yeah, that's it.
40:29That's what you don't know, right?
40:30I want to know where I come from.
40:31It's your first ever blood relative, right?
40:33Yeah, that's it.
40:34I do have a photograph of him.
40:36Here's your birth father and sister.
40:38Oh, wow.
40:54That is amazing.
40:57Is it?
40:58It is.
40:59He is my dad.
41:02But I can say that's...
41:05That's my dad.
41:06I've never been able to say I'm related to somebody by blood.
41:10Yeah.
41:11That's crazy.
41:13This is where I've come from.
41:15But it won't change who my parents are.
41:18That won't change.
41:20It just adds to my family.
41:23The fact that there's somebody out there who wants to be in my life
41:27in a positive way and to see who I am,
41:31I couldn't have asked for anything better.
41:33It's just over the moon.
41:37It's what I am.
41:38It's what I am, so, yeah.
41:52Two days later, Sarah's with her adoptive parents and partner Shannon,
41:57as she prepares to meet her birth father for the first time.
42:01I'm just, like, ready to go, chomping at the bit.
42:03I'm ready.
42:04Today is the day.
42:08I hope emotionally it should be okay.
42:12When you know your past, it helps shape your future.
42:16I hope that Sarah finds a sense of connection.
42:25Really looking forward to meeting Sarah.
42:28I didn't sleep.
42:29So many things get running through my head.
42:35I just want to tell her that I'm sorry that I wasn't there for her
42:38and I want to be here for her now.
42:45Been waiting a long time.
42:47I just didn't think it would be possible.
42:49Bit nervous, but very excited.
42:52Let's!
43:17No!
43:17Hello. Hi. I'm Sarah. Nice to meet you.
43:36Nice to meet you. Lovely to meet you. Lovely to meet you.
43:41Lovely. You don't need to apologise.
43:44It's amazing. Oh, isn't it? Yeah.
43:53You filmed me. Yeah. You didn't know about me.
43:56And, like, you found out literally out of the blue.
43:59It was a shot, but I wouldn't change it for the world.
44:02I just want to be there for you now and what have you...
44:05I think you can be. Yeah? Yeah, definitely.
44:09..when you've actually found taken into the hospital...
44:16..your name, my mother... Yeah.
44:18..she worked on the ward. Oh, wow.
44:20..so she would have seen you. Yeah.
44:22..and, you know, she's looking down on us now.
44:28You're happy, though. Yeah. Yeah.
44:30It was a very happy childhood.
44:32My parents always told me I was adopted and everything...
44:36..with all surroundings around it.
44:39This is why I'm very at peace with it and everything's in the past...
44:43..and I don't hold any grudges to anyone.
44:46I just want to move on and make new memories...
44:49..and make better memories.
44:51..a good way to be. Yeah.
44:52..makes you have a happier life. That's that.
44:54That's that. I'm so glad.
44:56..to know what you did.
44:58And I'm grateful to your mum and dad for that.
45:01Yeah.
45:02He was as I imagined and more, I would say, beyond what I expected.
45:10I am obsessed with motorbikes. Yeah.
45:13Yeah.
45:14Out as well to see how similar we are to each other.
45:18I see myself so much newer.
45:20Yeah, that's what everyone's saying.
45:21Like, the eyes and the smile, everybody's saying it's the same.
45:24So...
45:26It's insane.
45:27He's into gaming, I'm into gaming.
45:29Exact same hobbies.
45:31I do look very similar, I think, to...
45:33..your sister.
45:35Oh, my God.
45:36I'm going to say six, because I was around the last time Laura drowned.
45:38My two daughters can actually get to know each other
45:41and we can all be a family together.
45:44That's it!
45:45That's it!
45:46That's it!
45:47That's it!
45:48It's going to take time, but time is on our side.
45:52Nice to meet you.
45:53I just can't wait to get to know more.
45:56The world goes on.
45:58The past is in the past.
45:59And the adventure is only beginning.
46:11Well, things get emotional for a collection of celebrities
46:14as they investigate their family history
46:16in the new series of DNA Journey with Ancestry.
46:19That's available right now on ITVX.
46:22But stay with us here on ITV1.
46:24The news at 10 is coming up next.
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