Emotional moment woman breaks down in tears as she meets her half-brother for the first time on Long Lost Family – after their grandmother almost ruined their chance

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This is the touching moment a woman was left in tears after meeting her paternal half-brother for the first time on Long Lost Family.

Jeanette Woodyatt, 53, grew up in North Yorkshire with her younger brother and their father, who raised the two siblings following their parents’ divorce.

But she was eventually told that she had an older brother, Christopher, from a previous relationship of her father’s. Her late father made it clear that he wanted the door to be open to his eldest son if he ever made contact.

Christopher was given up for adoption as a baby but Jeanette’s father wanted to keep him. However, he was refused the opportunity to care for his son by his then girlfriend’s parents, who believed the couple were too young to look after a child.

‘It was very much laid on the table: if he comes looking, he’s welcome,’ explained Jeanette on tonight’s ITV programme, before emotional scenes saw her meeting her brother, now called Graham, for the first time. 

This is the touching moment a woman was left in tears after meeting her paternal half-brother for the first time on Long Lost Family. Pictured, Jeanette Woodyatt (right) with her paternal brother Graham

After sharing a hug with one another, Jeanette asked Graham about his adoption, to which he said: ‘I had a very good upbringing.’

‘That is what your dad wanted. You were never, ever, ever a secret. You were never something he didn’t want,’ Jeanette revealed.

Graham admitted: ‘It’s a good feeling to know I was wanted,’ while his sister said: ‘I think Dad will be smiling down on us right now.’ 

Sadly, Jeanette’s father died of cancer at the age of 54. Six years later, her paternal grandmother received a call out of the blue from a man who said he was looking for his father.

Her grandmother told the man – Graham, who was ringing from America – that his father had died, and that ‘there’s no point going any further.’

Jeanette recalled: ‘One day my grandma got a telephone call out of the blue from a man saying he was looking for his dad. 

‘I think she panicked and hung up on him. It cut me to the core. I felt the door was slammed when it needn’t have been.

‘Had she just given him my number, things would have been completely different. I need to put a wrong that was done… I need to put it right.’ 

After sharing a hug with one another (pictured), Jeanette asked Graham about his adoption, to which he said: ‘I had a very good upbringing.’

‘That is what your dad wanted. You were never, ever, ever a secret. You were never something he didn’t want,’ Jeanette (pictured left) revealed

Graham (pictured right) admitted to his sister: ‘It’s a good feeling to know I was wanted’

Graham’s sister Jeanette (pictured left) said: ‘I think Dad will be smiling down on us right now’

The two met thanks to Long Lost Family, with Jeanette (pictured left) left in tears as she hugged her half-brother and told him that he was never a secret

She explained how it took a long time for her to forgive her grandmother for ruining what may have been a once-in-a-lifetime chance.

‘He won’t search again,’ she said. ‘You don’t go back to have the door slammed in your face again, so it’s up to me. I just want to give him a photograph and say this is your dad and he didn’t forget you.’

Jeanette – who knew her brother’s birth name, Christopher, had been changed to Graham – tried to find her sibling on her own.

But she struggled to locate him, so she eventually asked the Long Lost Family team for help. 

The specialist researchers realised that Jeanette’s grandmother had inadvertently passed on a piece of crucial information: Graham had called her from North America.

He was finally found living in San Diego in Southern California. After being told that his sister was looking for him, Graham made the journey from there to Manchester along with his wife.

He met with co-presenter Nicky Campbell, who discovered that Graham had no idea that he had a sister.

Graham recalled the abruptly ended phone call with his grandmother, to which Nicky explained that Jeanette was extremely upset that the conversation ended as it did.

Jeanette Woodyatt (pictured left), 53, grew up in North Yorkshire with her younger brother and their father, who raised the two siblings following their parents’ divorce. Pictured, her older brother Graham

But she was eventually told that she had an older brother, Christopher, from a previous relationship of her father’s. Her late father (pictured) made it clear that he wanted the door to be open to his eldest son if he ever made contact

Christopher was given up for adoption as a baby but Jeanette’s father wanted to keep him. However, he was refused the opportunity to care for his son by his then girlfriend’s parents, who believed the couple were too young to look after a child. Pictured, Jeanette with her younger brother

‘It was very much laid on the table: if he comes looking, he’s welcome,’ explained Jeanette on tonight’s ITV programme, before emotional scenes saw her meeting her brother, now called Graham, for the first time. Pictured, Jeanette with her younger brother (pictured left) and her father (pictured right)

Sadly, Jeanette’s father (pictured) died of cancer at the age of 54. Six years later, her paternal grandmother received a call out of the blue from a man who said he was looking for his father

‘I’m upset to hear that… that has taken away twenty-plus years of what could have been… knowing that I had a sister and having a relationship,’ said Graham, who says he had a wonderful adoption with loving parents.

He appeared shocked to hear that his father wanted the door to be open to him, and impressed by the photo Nicky showed him of his father, noting how alike they look.

Graham was also shown a picture of Jeanette, saying: ‘Wow. That’s my sister. Got a bit of a shake going on.’

It was then the turn of co-host Davina McCall to deliver the news to Jeanette that her half-brother had been found.

Jeanette was left emotional when being told that Graham had come all the way from California to meet her.

‘That’s massive. I can’t believe it,’ she said. ‘It’s instantly like a weight has just been lifted. Wow.’ 

The two eventually met, with Jeanette left in tears as she hugged her half-brother and told him that he was never a secret.

‘Today was important to put the past right and it’s a massive relief to be able to let him know that he wasn’t ever forgotten,’ Jeanette said.

‘As soon as he put his arms around me, the connection was there. I just instantly felt at ease with him.’

Graham, meanwhile, added: ‘What a fantastic opportunity we’ve got now going forward after twenty years.’

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