Cat Deeley Brought to Tears by Surprise Birthday Poem on This Morning: ‘She’s Part of My Childhood!’
On Wednesday’s This Morning, Cat Deeley was moved to tears as co-host Ben Shephard surprised her with a heartfelt birthday treat to mark her 48th birthday. At the beginning of the ITV show, Cat, a mother of two, received an emotional birthday message from none other than her childhood idol, poet Pam Ayres, via OK! Magazine.
In a pre-recorded video, Pam read a special poem written just for Cat, which left her visibly emotional. Fighting back tears, Cat told Ben, “She’s part of my childhood! You wouldn’t even see her, and you’d know exactly who she was!” The surprise poem made the moment even more special, and Ben, seeing her reaction, comforted her by holding her hand.
As the show started, Cat shared how her children, whom she shares with husband Patrick Kielty, woke up early to celebrate her birthday. “Everyone was up this morning and excited as I got up at 5:30. There were cards made, one where we were all swimming underwater, and they wrote ‘take a deep breath mum, you’re getting old.’ They thought it was the funniest thing on the planet!” she laughed.
Ben playfully chimed in, “You don’t look a day over 47! You look amazing.” He then explained that they had arranged for Pam Ayres, who would appear later on the show, to write a birthday poem for Cat. As the video of Pam’s recitation played, viewers listened to lines that celebrated the importance of birthdays and making loved ones feel special.
Pam’s poem read, “We mustn’t forget people’s birthdays—the one day in all of the year for making somebody feel special, and those far away to feel dear. To get out of bed in the morning to see all the cards on the mat, from all of the folk who remembered, well that’s nice—you can ask Cat! No, we mustn’t forget people’s birthdays, that is the wrong thing to do. So with speed uppermost, pop a card in the post, and then they might send one to you.”
The beautiful words brought tears to Cat’s eyes, and she expressed her gratitude, reflecting on the fond memories Pam’s voice brought back. “That’s so amazing,” she said, as she wiped her tears.
The touching surprise left fans and viewers moved, joining Cat in celebrating a special moment that took her back to her childhood memories, marking her birthday with laughter, nostalgia, and heartfelt joy.