Ed Balls had a tearful moment while interviewing Gareth Gates on Good Morning Britain, as he spoke about why the former Pop Idol star has been an “inspiration” to him.
Both Ed and Gareth have spoken candidly in the past about their respective experiences of having a stammer.
Following his recent Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Win victory, the chart-topping singer said during Thursday’s GMB: “I think one of my greatest achievements from Pop Idol and now SAS was I’ve proved to people you can have an affliction, and… don’t let it dictate who you are.
“You are able to achieve whatever you want in life, you just have to be strong. And parents, in particular, with kids who stammer, I just say be patient and to give them as much time as they can. And eventually they’ll find a way through.”
The former MP responded: “The thing is, Gareth, your stammer is part of you, isn’t it? You wouldn’t be Gareth Gates without it. You wouldn’t have done the things you’ve done in life without it. So, if it wasn’t there, would you have achieved in life what you’ve achieved?”
“You know, as a child having a speech impediment was a very negative thing for me, but as soon as I went on Pop Idol, it was actually the thing that made me stand out from the crowd,” Gareth agreed.
Ed continued: “I would say the same, I couldn’t have done what I’ve done in life without the stammer. I would actually almost choose to have it, because it’s made me… and that’s a really important thing to say to people.”
Susanna Reid then told the pair: “Sitting on this sofa watching, you will be a role model to people watching… in this conversation, you will have inspired people.”
“You inspired me!” Ed told his guest. “You really did. I thought, ‘if Gareth Gates can do this, I can too, and if he can be public, I can be public too’. And it was really hard, but I did it, because you showed me how to do it.”
“Thank you for saying that, it means a lot,” Gareth said, as Ed became tearful, and the two shared a hug on screen.
“And you’re a role model for me, now,” Gareth told the politician-turned-broadcaster. “For you to be doing [Good Morning Britain] is really incredible.”
“Sometimes it goes wrong, but if you have a stammer, there are moments that go wrong,” Ed admitted. “But so what?”
The former Strictly Come Dancing contestant has been guest hosting GMB for two years, as part of a rotating group of anchors brought in after Piers Morgan’s infamous exit from the breakfast show in 2021.
Good Morning Britain airs every weekday from 6am.