Susanna Reid has emotionally broken down while reading a nine-year-old child's letter to Marcus Rashford.
The Good Morning Britain presenter has been passionately vocal about the need to tackle online racist abuse against the England footballer on Monday and Tuesday's shows.
On Tuesday, Susanna read out a post shared by Marcus Rashford on social media which reads: “I don’t even know where to start and I don’t even know how to put into words how I am feeling at this exact time.
“I’ve had a difficult season, I think that’s been clear for everyone to see and I probably went into that final with a lack of confidence.
“I’ve always backed myself for a penalty, but something didn’t feel quite right.
“During the long run-up I was saving myself a bit of time and unfortunately the result was not what I wanted."
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The footballer went on: “I felt as though I had let my team-mates down. I felt as if I’d let everyone down. A penalty was all I’d been asked to contribute for the team.
“I can score penalties in my sleep, so why not that one? It’s been playing in my head over and over since I struck the ball and there’s probably not a word to quite describe how it feels. Final. 55 years. 1 penalty. History. All I can say is sorry. I wish it had of gone differently.
“Whilst I continue to say sorry I want to shout out my team-mates. This summer has been one of the best camps I’ve experienced and you’ve all played a role in that. A brotherhood has been built that is unbreakable. Your success is my success. Your failures are mine.”
He later added: ““I can take critique of my performance all day long, my penalty was not good enough, it should have gone in but I will never apologise for who I am and where I came from.
“I’ve felt no prouder moment than wearing those three lions on my chest and seeing my family cheer me on in a crowd of 10s of thousands.
“I dreamt of days like this.
“The messages I’ve received today have been positively overwhelming and seeing the response in Withington had me on the verge of tears. The communities that always wrapped their arms around me continue to hold me up.
“I’m Marcus Rashford, 23-year-old black man from Withington and Wythenshawe, South Manchester. If I have nothing else I have that. For all the kind messages thank you. I’ll be back stronger. We’ll be back stronger.”
Susanna then went on read out a letter from a young boy named Dexter, nine, to Marcus and became audibly choked up as she read it out.
Dexter writes: “Dear Marcus Rashford, I hope you won't be sad for too long because you are such a good person.
"Last year you inspired me to help people less fortunate, then last night you inspired me again, to always be brave.
"I'm proud of you, you will always be a hero."
An emotional Susanna said: “I hope Marcus feels everything that’s coming through from this letter and all the messages of support.”
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She turned to her crying co-star Ranvir Singh and said: “I mean, Ranvir, honestly?”
Ranvir stated about Dexter’s letter: “That’s England. Dexter’s England.”
Susanna then went on: “And Marcus Rashford. And Tyrone Mings. And Jadon Sancho. And Bukayo Saka. And every single member of that squad.”
Following this, an emotional Ranvir shared her own perspective on the issue of racism and what needs to be done.
Susanna's co-host Richard Madeley then reminded her that a tearful Ranvir had to read the news and suggested she “dry her eyes”.
Ranvir noted: “The thing is that goes to the heart of what we want for our children.
“My son going to school, he’s talked about racism that he’s faced, he’s going to be nine…
“You think about it all the time and you’re privileged if you don’t have to think about it.
“The only time you think about it is when one of your heroes is suffering. That’s the thing about privilege."
Discussing the difference between those with this privilege and those who do not, Ranvir continued by referring to another GMB co-star:“Andi [Peters] walks around with it whether it’s doing competitions or whatever he’s talking about, you can’t shake it off when you’re in that position.
“You can act like you’re functioning normally but all the time it’s there and privilege is about having a choice. That’s the privilege, isn’t it? Having a choice.”
Ranvir concluded: “I think we have to remove that privilege, we all have to think about it, regardless of what skin we walk in.”
After she finished speaking, Richard then noted that the GMB team would “give her a minute” and go to regional news rather than ask her to provide national headlines following the emotional moment.
*Good Morning Britain airs on weekdays from 6am to 9am on ITV.
