Holly Willoughby in tears after hearing boy fled Ukraine on his own

Phillip Schofield was forced to cut to a break on today’s episode of This Morning after Holly Willoughby started to cry over children fleeing Ukraine amid the Russian invasion.

It’s been a difficult week for Holly, who was also overcome with emotion during Monday’s episode after a clip of a young girl singing Let It Go from Disney’s Frozen as she sought safety in a bomb shelter. 

This time around, the mum was reduced to tears after learning that an 11-year-old travelled more than 600 miles alone from Ukraine to Slovakia to get to safety.

The young boy from Zaporizhzhia had been sent away by his mother and made the journey with only a backpack, plastic bag, passport and a phone number written on his hand.

Julia Hartley-Brewer choked up as she commented on the news, telling the programme: ‘A child travelling across the continent at 11-years-old not knowing when he’ll see his family again or when he’ll return to his homeland…

‘I don’t know about any other parent but it breaks my heart.’

Phil then cut the segment as the camera panned back to the studio and showed Holly wiping her tears and holding a tissue.

‘Alright, let’s leave it there,’ Phil said before announcing the break.

More than 1.5 million refugees have already streamed out of Ukraine, the United Nations said as Russia’s unprovoked assault on the country entered its 11th day on Sunday.

On Sunday, the Home Office said around 50 visas had been given the green light under the Ukraine Family Scheme.

Some 5,535 online applications have been completed and submitted online and 2,368 people had booked a visa appointment to submit their application and biometric information, the Government said.

This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV.

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