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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Hana Carter

Mel Giedroyc who sobbed meeting Ukrainian families says her dad was a refugee aged 10

Mel Giedroyc, whose father was a refugee when he was just 10 years old, sobbed after meeting with Ukrainian mothers and children.

The TV presenter lost her composure after she expressed the guilt she felt returning home to safety when so many families have had that torn away.

Mel took to the stage of ITV's Concert for Ukraine and shared her dad's experience of losing his home.

"The situation in Ukraine resinated very strongly with me because my own dad was a refugee about 80 odd years ago, at the age of ten," she said.

"He was forcibly ejected from his home with his mum and his two sisters and they faced a very, very perilous future - which is obviously what we are seeing every day now when we watch the news, as if history is repeating itself."

Mel Giedroyc explained that the situation had affected her deeply (ITV)

She travelled to the Ukrainian-Romanian boarder to speak with parents and children.

The former Bake Off presenter said that many of the youngsters she spoke with would have been around the same age as her dad when he fled his country.

"What's so weird is it took me about six hours to get here, three hours on a plane and a few hours in a car - and here we are.

"It's like a different planet. And I feel weird because I'm going back to my cosy home and to my family," overcome with emotions, she turned away from the camera.

"And so many people that we've met today, they don't know when they are going home. It must be a really horrible feeling.

"It's brutal is what it is, it's brutal."

After the two hour show, held at Birmingham's Resorts World Arena, the appeal raised more than £12million.

The event gave 100 per cent of donations to the Disasters Emergency Committee's humanitarian appeal.

Emeli Sandé performed at the Concert for Ukraine (ITV)

Famous faces took to the stage and urged viewers to donate as much as they could to help those in need in Ukraine.

Tom Odell performed his "Another Love", which has become popular in Ukraine after he travelled to Romania to sing to refugees.

He sat behind a keyboard at Bucharest's North Railway Station as refugees passed through on their way to safety.

Emeli Sande, Ed Sheeran, Camila Cabello and Nile Rodgers were also among artists who took to the stage.

Emma Bunton was one of the hosts for the evening (ITV)

After her rendition of Coldplay's Fix You, Camila said: "We're all praying tonight for the peace and safety of the people of Ukraine."

She then introduced Ed for the debut live performance of their new 2022 track Bam Bam.

Special guest appearances included Ukraine's 2016 Eurovision winner Jamala, who sang her haunting "1984" as she held her country's flag.

Ed Sheeran and Camila Cabello performed their new track together (Getty Images)

Broadcasting legend Trevor McDonald paid tribute to members of the press reporting on the conflict.

He said: “We’re here tonight because of the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Ukraine,”

“The reason we know so much about it is because of the daily reports we read in the press, see online and watch on our TV screens.

Jamala, who won Eurovision representing Ukraine, was a guest on the show (Vyacheslav Prokofyev/TASS)

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Robert Rinder, who is known by many as Judge Rinder, travelled to the Ukraine border to help the grandparents of his Strictly Come Dancing partner Oksana Platero.

He said: "If you want to know where your money is going, just look behind me,” he said, gesturing at a hall filled with makeshift beds.

“Frightened kids. Blankets. Sleeping bags. This could be you. This is all of us.”

Do you have a story to sell? Get in touch with us at webcelebs@mirror.co.uk or call us direct 0207 29 33033.

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