Gemma Collins and her mother break down in tears

On Thursday, Gemma Collins shared the heartbreaking story of her grandmother, who had schizophrenia, during a touching episode of Who Do You Think You Are?

The 43-year-old former TOWIE star shared the story of her mother Joan's birth mother, who had to give her up to a foster family.

For the majority of her life, Joan believed that her mother, who shared her name, had left her behind.

However, Gemma and the show's team found out that she might have been pressured to let go of her daughter due to incorrectly diagnosed mental health issues.

Gemma's grandmother had been admitted to psychiatric hospitals repeatedly since she was 13 and was ultimately given a diagnosis of chronic schizophrenia, although this diagnosis has since been challenged.

Gemma Collins shared the heartbreaking story of her grandmother, who struggled with schizophrenia, during a heartfelt episode of *Who Do You Think You Are?* that aired on Thursday.

The 43-year-old former TOWIE star shared the tale of her mother, Joan, and her biological mother who had to surrender her to a foster family.

A specialist noted that during her teenage pregnancy outside of marriage, she might have been advised to give up her daughter, Joan. Additionally, her struggles with mental health led to restrictions on how often she could see her child.

Joan became emotional while sharing her experiences of feeling neglected and unloved during her childhood. She expressed, "You constantly find yourself questioning your worth. My foster family truly felt like my real family. I entered foster care when I was just two weeks old."

As Joan and Gemma went through her foster statement, they both became overwhelmed with emotion and started crying. They expressed, "This is such a lot to take in. It's a whirlwind of feelings."

Joan recounted her experience of being placed in a children's residential facility at the age of 13 for skipping school. As she shared her story, she became emotional again, describing the bullying she faced during her time there.

With tears in her eyes, she shared, "I walked in with my suitcase, and it all came rushing back. The other kids began to strip me of my clothes. It felt like I was in a jail. After that, I went home."

Joan shared about her biological mother, saying, "She did visit me once. We had some tea together, and then she said farewell. I only met her three times."

Viewers shared their thoughts on X during the touching moments, saying, "It must be really difficult not to have any knowledge of your family's past. Bless her. #WDYTYA."

"That’s really unfortunate. #wdytya."

Joan spent the majority of her life believing that her mother, who shared her name, had left her behind.

Joan became emotional while discussing her childhood, reflecting on feelings of neglect and lack of affection. She shared, "You constantly find yourself questioning."

However, Gemma and the show's crew found out that she might have had to surrender her daughter due to mistakenly diagnosed mental health issues.

Viewers expressed their thoughts on X during the touching moments, saying, "It must be really difficult not to have any information about one's family history. Poor thing. #WDYTYA"

As Joan and Gemma went through her foster statement, they both became overwhelmed with emotion and started to cry. They exclaimed, "This is so much. It's a whirlwind of feelings."

Joan recounted her experience of being sent to a children's home at the age of 13 because she frequently skipped school. As she shared her story, she became emotional again, reflecting on the bullying she faced during her time there.

"Oh no, Gemma's mom is really struggling. #wdytya."

At the beginning of the episode, Gemma shared, "My mom was in foster care. Why was she abandoned at the hospital? Why didn’t anyone come back for her? She never discusses it. I believe it’s just too difficult for her to revisit those memories."

The video concluded with Gemma expressing, "It would be great to learn about my mom's origins and to connect all the dots."

The popular BBC show is a family history series where famous individuals explore their ancestral roots.

The show has been on the air since 2004, and the 21st season started in August featuring actress Vicky McClure.

Every episode of Who Do You Think You Are? focuses on a British famous person.

Over the course of its twenty years on air, Who Do You Think You Are? has explored the ancestry of various notable figures, including Adil Ray, Kate Winslet, Jeremy Clarkson, Barbara Windsor, Stephen Fry, J.K. Rowling, Daniel Radcliffe, and many others.

In the beginning of the episode, Gemma shared, "My mother was in foster care. Why was she abandoned at the hospital? Why didn't they make an effort to return for her?"

Gemma has expressed her excitement about the potential connection to the notorious serial killer Jack The Ripper.

The video wrapped up with Gemma expressing, "It will be wonderful to discover my mother's roots and to finally connect all the dots."

Gemma has expressed her excitement about the chance of being connected to the infamous serial killer Jack The Ripper.

Jack, whose true identity remains unknown, is infamously recognized as Britain's most notorious serial killer. In 1888, he took the lives of five women and instilled fear in the streets of London, yet he was never apprehended.

Gemma is convinced she has figured out who Jack the Ripper really was, and she firmly believes that she is connected to him by blood.

She became convinced after watching Who Do You Think You Are? when she found out that her ancestors resided on Dorset Street in East London, the very place where Jack deposited the dismembered remains of some of his victims.