Susanne Barrow, who was discovered as a newborn in a London phone box with a note from her birth mother, has revealed a major twist to her story: she has finally met her birth mother. The revelation came during a follow-up episode of ITV's Long Lost Family, which aired on Monday, August 17, 2026, and saw Susanne, now 50, share the emotional update with host Davina McCall.
Discovery and Original Reunion
Susanne first appeared on Long Lost Family in 2024, when she was reunited with her brother Brian. The pair returned for the follow-up episode, where Susanne expressed her gratitude: “I've been so lucky and fortunate.” Brian, 56, echoed her sentiments, saying, “We get on really well. It's a real good fit. It's everything that I wanted and hoped it would be. I still every so often have to pinch myself to remember that you know you've got a little sister here that you had in your life all this time now, and will be in your life forever.”
Susanne was found 50 years ago in East London, with a note from her birth mother that read: “I cannot keep the baby. Please call her Maria. My maiden name is Roberts and I would like her to have it. I have no one to help me so please take care of her for me. I am going to try and find her again, even if it means going to jail.”
The Twist: Finding Her Birth Mother
In the new episode, Susanne told Davina McCall about the unexpected turn of events after the original show aired. “After the original programme aired, a woman got in touch and said that she might have some information on my birth mother,” Susanne shared. “I went to meet her, and she just started telling me a story about her having a baby that was given up for adoption and the circumstances.”
As the story unfolded, Susanne realized the connection. “I was sat there listening, thinking, right, ‘what's this got to do with me?’. And as the story unfolded, I just thought, 'hold on a minute, there's a lot of things that tie up with me'. She said at the end ‘What do you think?’ And I said ‘There's a lot that matches here’ and she nodded. And I asked her if she made a phone call, and she started crying at that point, and said yes, that was her. So it was just, it was a moment where it felt like it was real.”
The woman, who has not been named, agreed to a DNA test and was positively matched as Susanne's mother. Susanne described the meeting: “She was a lovely person, warm, friendly. It was almost like there was a connection trying to get out.”
Current Relationship and Future
While Susanne's mother did not appear on the show, Susanne revealed they are building a relationship. “We get on really well yeah. She's had a lot of loss in her life, and it's just so lovely that now there's this joy as well, and I've been able to sort of tell her to forgive herself. So I think she's feeling more positive and is getting used to telling people.”
Susanne and Brian have discovered they may have up to nine more siblings, though Susanne's father has not yet agreed to meet her. The episode highlighted the ongoing impact of the original discovery, with Susanne reflecting on her fortune. Long Lost Family is available on ITV1 and ITVX.
