Gemma Collins has said she is planning to become a foster carer after learning more about her mum’s experiences in the care system for her episode of Who Do You Think You Are?.
The Only Way Is Essex star told Good Morning Britain that she had “a lot of love” to give and that she wanted people to remember “wholesome values” by supporting family.
Collins recently appeared on BBC One’s Who Do You Think You Are?, where along with hearing more about her mum growing up in foster care, she also uncovered a surprising connection to Jack the Ripper.
Like many celebrities who take part in Who Do You Think You Are?, Gemma Collins has found the deep dive into her ancestry a life-changing experience – so much so, that she is planning on becoming a foster carer.
Collins’ mum Joan went into foster care as a newborn baby, so the reality TV star was keen to help her trace her relatives when she took part in the BBC genealogy show. Now, she has told Good Morning Britain that she wants to give another child a chance at a family.
Speaking to Good Morning Britain about her plans, the Towie star said: “There’s a lot of love I can give, I always make a good dinner.”
Read more: Gemma Collins
Collins and her mum spoke about their experiences of finding out more about Joan being put into care and the TV star said: “I saw the adoption papers and it was so sweet, like they put on there ‘you need to sew her clothes’.”
Gemma Collins has told us she wants to become a foster carer. The reality star was inspired by her mum who grew up in a foster home.
It comes as the national fostering group warned of a caring crisis. pic.twitter.com/Ydq9xGvGsm
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) October 4, 2024
She also encouraged other people to consider fostering, saying: “There are so many rooms that are spare across London and the UK.”
Talking more about Who Do You Think You Are?, Collins explained how filming the programme had made her think more about family values.
She said: “(Mum) remembered a cousin and we went on to find her and she’s coming round this weekend for a curry. That is the wholesome value that so many people forget in today’s society – rushing around, this urgency culture.”
Collins had been under the impression her mum Joan’s parents had voluntarily given her up for adoption, so she was shocked to discover that it seemed she had been taken away by authorities.
Speaking about finding out more about her mum’s past, Collins had said: “It was very overwhelming, very, very bizarre, to find out all this stuff we’ve not known for so long. It’s bittersweet and amazing.
“It’s been very cathartic putting my mum’s mind at rest about so much stuff that was unanswered for her.”
But a more unexpected twist was a link to Jack the Ripper as Collins was told that some of her ancestors had lived in the same East London street as one of the killer’s victims, as well as where another woman he murdered was found.
She told the BBC: “No-one knows who the ripper was, but we lived next door to where a lot of his victims were being killed. You just don’t know,.
“I think I was related to him … It’s just bizarre, isn’t it? Could it be my family? Could he be alluded to be my family?”
Good Morning Britain airs on ITV1 at 6am on weekdays.
