'THE GOOD THINGS NEED TO BE SHOUTED ABOUT'

Presenter Carol Vorderman honours the country's finest as she hosts the Mirror Pride of Britain Awards with P&O Cruises

- MITYA UNDERWOOD

Carol Vorderman has been celebrating the extraordinary acts of ordinary people at the annual Pride of Britain Awards for 26 years now.

As she chats about the upcoming ceremony, which tends to deliver as many tears as it does rounds of applause, the former Countdown star, 64, reveals “nothing comes close” to giving her what she gets from the month she’s immersed in the Pride of Britain Awards, each and every year.

“It's been more than half of my adult life now, and every year is like a reset for me. Some people's year might ‘start’ in September when the schools go back, mine starts in October when it's Pride of Britain time,” she tells us.

“I'm a big list-maker, and there are different categories in life, like health, wealth, career, the kids, family, friends, social media and fitness and when Pride Of Britain comes around, it doesn't just affect the career box, it affects all of it, and it’s the only bit of work that does.

“It's a reboot, a time to think, ‘What are the important things in life?”

Moreover, her knowledge of past winners and nominees is almost encyclopaedic, which isn’t a total surprise given Carol’s mathematical brain.

That said, there are a few who still stand out, such as Jean Forrest, a foster mum who won the Careworker of the Year award in 2000, and civil rights activist Dr Paul Stephenson, who was presented with the Lifetime Achievement in 2017.

The stories and people have changed, Carol says, but the spirit of the Awards hasn't. While she knows “no one is indispensable”, she wants to remain a part of them for many years to come.