The latest episode of the ITV show followed an adopted woman from Stalybridge who finally tracked down her brother following a three-decade-long search

Gemma had been looking for her brother, Michael, for 30 years (Image: ITV)

A woman from Manchester has been reunited with her brother, ending a 30-year search. The latest, and very emotional, episode of ITV’s Long Lost Family aired on Thursday (September 10) and followed Michael, from London, who had been searching for his sister, without any success.

The retail worker, 56, was determined to fulfil his mother’s dying wish to track down his sister, who had been given up for adoption as a baby. Mary, who was originally from Ireland but had moved to London as a teenager, told her son that she’d given birth to a daughter named Angela, whom she’d taken care of for three months, before she was placed for adoption.

Mary had been residing in a Catholic mother and baby home when she cared for her daughter; however, Michael explained that his mother felt she had no other option but to put Angela up for adoption. Mary passed away from cancer eight years ago at the age of 74, and she had asked Michael to find his sister, Angela, before her death.

Michael hugs Gemma after the siblings reunited after 30 years (Image: ITV)

“She said, could you please try and find Angela for me please?” Michael revealed. He recalled, “When I found out, I was a bit shocked. I’ve always wanted a sister.”

Meanwhile, Angela, now known as Gemma, lives in Stalybridge and had also contacted the ITV show for help with finding her biological family.

“I never thought this would ever happen. I tried so long myself, it was 30 years of searching”, she said. Gemma also explained that she’d used the DNA site three years ago, but didn’t go back to see if there had been any updates after not getting a match at the time of her test.

Gemma was informed of her mother’s passing off-screen before presenter Nicky Campbell revealed that she had a brother and delivered an emotional message.

“Your brother, Michael, he wanted to tell you that she didn’t want to give you up for adoption. She thought about you every day. She always, always loved you, and she wanted to tell you that. She wanted to see you and tell you that,” host Nicky Campbell told Gemma.

She replied, “I had two [mums] who loved me, and what a gift that is. To have had all that love. Aw bless. Thank you so much. Thank you so much”.

Later in the episode, Davina McCall broke the wonderful news to Michael that Gemma had been located. He was visibly overwhelmed to learn that his long-lost sister was eager to reconnect with him.