The One Show kicked off its 20th anniversary celebrations on Monday evening with a heartwarming clip that revisited one of the programme's most memorable stories.
In 2016, presenter Joe Crowley met a family whose five-year-old daughter Scarlett was saved by a donated heart. The young donor, named Evie, had died, and her parents made a decision that would transform another child's life. The show captured the emotional moment both families met for the first time.
A decade later, Joe visited Scarlett, now 15, to talk about what it's like to grow up as a beneficiary of a donated organ. The pair revisited Freeman Hospital in Newcastle upon Tyne, where Scarlett underwent her transplant.
Scarlett's plans to become a nurse
Standing outside ward 23, Scarlett revealed that she plans to train as a paediatric nurse after she finishes school. Asked by Joe what inspired her, she said, "Just all the staff here, so caring. It is like a second home, just makes me want to do the same as them."
Reflecting on how her life turned out, she said, "The transplant is the greatest gift I've ever received. I just feel very fortunate because I could have had a very different outcome. We'll just always remember Evie, and what she did for me and my family."
A jump in organ donations
After Scarlett's original episode aired, organ donations rose by 70 per cent. Since May 2020, all adults in England have been considered to have agreed to be an organ donor when they die, unless they have recorded a decision not to donate or belong to one of the excluded groups.
Anniversary special on August 14
The One Show's celebrations will culminate on August 14 with an extended hour-long anniversary special, in which Alex Jones and Roman Kemp will be joined by fellow presenters Angellica Bell, Clara Amfo, JB Gill, Lauren Laverne and Vernon Kay. The special will feature a surprise live music guest, with former presenters Matt Baker and Christine Lampard returning to the sofa to reflect on their time on the show, along with a film from Adrian Chiles.
BBC Commissioning Editor Alex McLeod said that for 20 years, The One Show had brought the nation together every weekday evening, becoming one of the BBC's most-loved programmes and home to some of television's biggest interviews, unforgettable live moments, inspiring stories and exclusive performances. McLeod said the celebration paid tribute to that and to the importance of the show being at the heart of the national conversation, reflecting the people, places and stories that matter most across the UK.
The One Show editor Joanne Vaughan-Jones said the celebrations began on Friday at the Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann, described as the world's biggest celebration of traditional Irish music and culture, with more treats in store for viewers that week, possibly including a partial solar eclipse sweeping across the country. Vaughan-Jones said the team had worked hard to bring together the biggest names, most memorable stories and standout moments from 20 years of The One Show, and was proud to be part of viewers' lives.
