BBC Breakfast viewers were left in floods of tears after host Dan Walker visited a lonely pensioner with a special festive surprise after he spent the past 20 Christmases alone.
Terrence, 78, from Oldham, appeared on the show on Wednesday, revealing he had spent every Christmas in the past two decades alone before saying that this year he didn’t have his own tree.
In a heartwarming clip broadcast on Thursday, Mr Walker told audiences: “If you were watching BBC Breakfast on Wednesday morning, we met an amazing man called Terrence.
“He struggled with loneliness over the year and he told us he doesn’t have a Christmas tree. We promised we’d sort him out.”
The BBC presenter travelled to Oldham to surprise Terrence, who greeted him at his door with a warm “What are you doing here?”
Sitting down together, the pensioner said he used to spend Christmas with his mother, but now he was struck by how "people on their own don’t get any presents from people”.
Mr Walker the told the 78-year-old he’d had “such a big impact on our viewers” during his interview that “we would love to do something for you.”
The TV host then opened Terrence’s front door to reveal a group of students carrying a glittering star-topped tree.
The pensioner burst into tears as the “lovely” group from Oldham College entered, carrying their “early Christmas present” for him.
He thanked his guests between sobs as they decorated the gift with tinsel and baubles before Mr Walker revealed the next surprise.
Opening the front door again, he led Terrence outside to find the college choir stood before him. They then erupted into a rendition of his favourite carol - Silent Night.
Mr Walker later posted an update on the moving encounter, tweeting: “Terrence is blown away by all the support and love. He has some new friends.
“The Oldham College students stayed at his house and shared a ‘chippy tea’ with him,” he wrote.
“Your messages are amazing,” he added. “Thank you. Merry Christmas."
One Twitter user responded: "This is just beautiful. I've watched it several times this morning and needed tissues each time.
"Thank you @mrdanwalker and #bbcbreakfast for highlighting #loneliness, thank you @OldhamCollege students for showing your love and thank you #Terrence for sharing your story."
Another user also had to dry their eyes, writing: "Crying. Total respect to you @danwalker and all who made this happen x."
Another wrote simply: "Yep tears."
