On the latest episode of Long Lost Family, a guy who was abandoned as a newborn discovers that he went to school with his half-brother.
The show, which has been on the air since 2011, tries to reconnect close relatives who have been separated for years. It is hosted by Davina McCall and Nicky Campbell.
Paul Connolly from East London was the topic of this week’s series comeback.
Paul was born in 1962 and spent his whole childhood in care when his mother had a nervous breakdown and threw him out with the garbage.
Paul was only a few weeks old when a neighbour heard him weeping and contacted social services, who placed him in care.
During the episode, Paul stated that he wanted to learn more about his father’s side of the family, and that he had only had limited touch with his mother’s Irish ancestors.
While he did discover his father’s identify, Philip Psaila, it was revealed that he died in 1968.
After learning more about his father’s past, Paul returned his focus to his mother, who he described as “embarrassed that I was illegitimate.”
‘She had a tough upbringing and she had to do what she had to do to survive. It was probably the best thing she could have done really,’ he said.
However, Paul was taken aback when it was revealed that he not only had a half-brother through his father, but that they had perhaps met years before.
Paul and his brother Frankie Peroni had attended the same London school at the same time.
After meeting, the guys began talking about their pasts before realising they had both lived in Dagenham as youngsters.
When asked what school they went to in the region, Frankie leaned back in surprise after learning Paul had gone to the same school as him at the same time.
‘I can’t believe that,’ he said.
‘You went to the same school as me. Oh my God, that is just freaky isn’t it. I can’t believe that!.’
The two guys then jokingly asked each other how it could have taken them this long to discover the existence of the other.
Paul afterwards told the camera that seeing his brother was “everything I could have asked for.”
‘It will be wonderful to be part of each other’s lives and for our families to get to know each other,’ he said.
‘Of course, it is later in life that we’ve found each other, but at the same time, I think you’ve just got to be grateful for every day,’ he continued.
‘I started out looking for my father and instead I found a brother.
‘So the future is bright as they say.’
Long Lost Family is streaming on ITVX.
