Sam Thompson broke down in tears live on This Morning as he called in from Bloxwich, mid-way through his gruelling 260-mile Match Ball Mission for UNICEF — just a day after tearing his calf.
The emotional moment came when his best friend Pete Wicks revealed he’d raised an astonishing £337,288. Sam, overwhelmed, choked up, whispering he was “so grateful” before nearly letting out a swear. “I’ve got to stop crying,” he said, visibly shaken.
Presenter Ben Shephard stepped in with a five-word quip that had viewers chuckling: “Well done for not swearing!”
But the emotional hits kept coming: co-host Cat Deeley announced an anonymous donor would now match all donations — up to half a million pounds. Sam’s jaw dropped, and he screamed live on air.
Despite brutal weather and a serious calf injury, Sam is determined to push on, swapping running for cycling when necessary. Joined briefly by Chris Hughes, Sam is battling through marathons and fatigue to deliver the match ball on June 6 for Soccer Aid.
While some online critics questioned the authenticity of his tears, thousands flooded social media with support: “So proud of you,” one fan wrote, “You’re smashing it!”
