GMB hosts Ranvir Singh and Susanna Reid became emotional on Tuesday morning after reading out a letter to England football star Marcus Rashford from a nine-year-old fan.
It comes after Rashford was one of three footballers to miss a penality during the penalty shoot out between Italy and England in the Euro 2020 final on Sunday night
Dexter wrote in his letter to Rashford: "I hope you won't be sad for long because you are such a good person."
Overcome with emotion, Susanna had to pause while reading the letter and said: "I hope Marcus feels everything that is coming through from this letter and from all the messages of support."
Ranvir, also emotional and choked up, said: “That’s England. Dexter’s England…”
Susanna joined saying: “And Marcus Rashford, and Tyrone Mings and Sancho and Saka and every single member of that squad…”
Still emotional and wiping away her tears, Ranvir said: “It goes to the heart of my children, my son has talked about the racism that he’s faced… you think about it all the time.
"You’re privileged if you don't have to think about it. If you don’t have to think about it until one of your heroes is suffering - that’s the difference in privilege."
Black members of the English football team, including Rashford and Bukayo Saka, have received a torrent of horrendous racial abuse since missing their penalties during the Euro 2020 final.
There are many calls for legal action to be taken against those leaving the racist and derogatory abuse, with Richard Madeley saying on the show: “Social media needs to finally be cracked down on properly… and I do truly believe that the ones responsible for writing this filth need to pay the price for it. They need to see the consequences for it and their behaviour. I really do believe that they should be going to jail.”
Susanna also questioned why the Online Harms Bill (a law enforcing that social media companies will need to remove and limit the spread of harmful content, such as racist abuse) is not coming into effect until next year.
While talking with Stephen Barclay MP she said: “Next year? This abuse is happening today… it’s happening online right now. How is it taking so long with all the strength and power you have to not be able to instruct the social media companies to be taking this stuff down immediately, adjusting their algorithms, forcing people's anonymous accounts to close down… why are we waiting until next year?”
